The administration has taken a major decision in the case of the tragic death of Indian student Jhanvi Kandula in Seattle city of America. The Seattle city administration has agreed to pay $29 million (about Rs 262 crore) as compensation to Jhanvi’s family. 23-year-old Jhanvi died last year after being hit by a speeding police patrol vehicle, which sparked outrage across the world, including India.
The police car was running at a speed of 119 km
This accident happened on 23 January 2023. Jhanvi Kandula, a resident of Andhra Pradesh, was pursuing her master’s degree at Northeastern University (Seattle Campus). She was crossing the road when she was hit by police officer Kevin Dave. According to the report, Kevin Dave was driving his car at a speed of 119 km per hour (74 MPS) in an area where the speed limit was 40 km per hour (25 mph). It was told that he was going on a call of ‘drug overdose’.
Anger was aroused over the police officer’s lewd joke.
After Hanvi’s death, the matter heated up when bodycam footage of another police officer, Daniel Orderer, surfaced. In the video, the orderer is heard laughing and saying that Jhanvi’s life had a limited value and the city should just write a cheque. There were widespread protests after this insensitive comment came to light. Indian diplomats had also demanded an investigation into the matter. Order was later fired from his job, although he has filed a lawsuit against his dismissal.
Criminal case not filed against accused policeman
Despite gross negligence, the officer who was driving, Kevin Dave, was not criminally prosecuted. King County prosecutors said they could not prove that Dave had knowingly disregarded safety. Dave was directed to pay a fine of $5,000 (about Rs 4 lakh) only for careless driving.
What did the officials say about the agreement?
Seattle City Attorney Erica Evans issued a statement on Wednesday saying that Jhanvi’s death was heartbreaking. “Jhanvi Kandula’s life mattered. It mattered to her family, friends and our community,” he said. The administration hopes that this financial agreement will provide some relief to the family. It has been told that out of the settlement amount, $20 million will be paid by the city’s insurance company.
