More than 200 members of the Indian community organised a rally on December 16 at the spot where Indian student Jaahnavi Kandula from Andhra Pradesh was run over and killed by a speeding police patrol car. The protesters demanded sensitivity, respect, and imprisonment for the police officers who committed the crime.
The 23-year-old Jaahnavi was struck by a police four-wheeler which was driven by Officer Kevin Dave as she crossed a street. In a bodycam video released by the Seattle Police Department on September 11, officer Daniel Auderer chuckled about the fatal collision and denied any suggestion that the other policeman might have been at blame or that a criminal investigation was required.
In the released video, Seattle police Department union leader Daniel Auderer was heard laughing and suggesting that Jaahnavi Kandula was 26, and her life had “limited value” and that the city should just “write a cheque” worth USD 11,000. “Eleven thousand dollars. She was 26, anyway. She had limited value.”
Residents of the Seattle region assembled in Denny Park and marched to the junction where the incident happened. They carried placards that read, “Jaahnavi had more value than the Seattle Police Department”, and “Justice for Jaahnavi, jail killer cops.” The Bothell-based charity UTSAV organised the demonstration.
Representative Vandana Slatter, D-Bellevue addressed the crowd and stated, “We’re not a monolith, the Indian community. There’s diaspora in the community, but we are all united today.”
The officer’s remarks on a clip, taken the night of the tragedy, have provoked fury throughout the world. The protesters emphasised that the victim’s life was valuable. Shifali Jamwal, who also brought her 3-year-old kid to the rally, asserted that Jaahnavi Kandula was a master’s student who came to the United States to further her education so “her life would have more value.”
She said, “I can only imagine what Jaahnavi’s mom is going through.” A 25-year-old participant Kyla Carrillo described the cop’s statements as “completely disrespectful.” She mentioned, “Not even unbelievable, not shocking, but just for (him) to value somebody’s life as such was disrespectful.” Marchers placed bouquets beneath a sign and ignited tea lights to form the word “Jaahnavi” between the lanes of the crossroads.
Jaahnavi Kandula was scheduled to receive her master’s in information systems from Northeastern University’s Seattle campus in December. According to her family, she was attempting to support her mother in India.
Kenneth W. Henderson, Chancellor of Northeastern University conveyed his sadness at her passing on September 15 in a statement posted on the school’s official Facebook page. It read, “Her loss will be felt deeply by students, staff, and faculty. The university plans to award Jaahnavi her degree posthumously and present it to her family.”
Community members and the mayor along with the police chief of Seattle had a meeting earlier on September 16 to discuss the airing of the bodycam video. They said that while they do not support the abolition of the police, but Seattle must enhance training and continue to interact with the South Asian community.
The founder of UTSAV, Arun Sharma, added that if the Police Department fails to pursue action against the accused, the group is going to escalate its response. “Let’s not wait for another major incident like this to wake us up. Immigrants die by a thousand cuts”, he said.
“Who had unlimited value,” the crowd chanted and responded “Jaahnavi Kandula. Say her name. Jaahnavi Kandula,” before leaving from there.
The Consulate General of India in San Francisco has also raised concerns over the handling of the case and has demanded a thorough investigation and action against those involved.
