Indian student’s death in the US has sparked outrage; the administration promises a quick investigation and justice

The Indian government has received assurances from the Biden administration that a prompt inquiry would be conducted into the murder of Indian student Jaahnavi Kandula in Seattle after she was killed by a speeding police patrol vehicle and that the culpable police personnel will be brought to justice.

After India’s ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, vehemently brought up the matter in Washington and demanded immediate action about the death of Kandula and the egregiously insensitive actions of the police officer in Seattle, Washington state, the US government sprung into action.

Kandula was murdered in January when a police car being driven by Officer Kevin Dave hit her. The Seattle Times newspaper reported on Monday that he was traveling at 74 mph (more than 119 kmph) while on route to a report of an overdose.

Officer Daniel Auderer chuckled about the fatal collision and denied any suggestion that Dave could have been at blame or that a criminal investigation was required in bodycam video released by the Seattle Police Department on Monday.

Indian-Americans and US officials have both voiced indignation over Kandula’s death.

The Indian government has received assurances from the Biden administration that the event would be investigated quickly and that the culpable police personnel will be brought to justice.

The Ambassador and the Indian government were reportedly given assurances by senior administration officials that they were treating the whole matter seriously.

They are keeping an eye on the case’s investigation from Washington, DC, to make sure that there is enough accountability.

Authorities described themselves as “shocked” and “horrified” by this incidence.

The treatment of Kandula’s death was described as “deeply troubling” by the Indian Consulate General in San Francisco on Wednesday.

The mission said in a post on platform X, “We have forcefully raised the subject with local authorities in Seattle and Washington State as well as key officials in Washington DC for a thorough investigation and action against individuals involved in this unfortunate situation.

“The Consulate & Embassy will Continue to Closely Follow-Up on This Matter With All Concerned Authorities,” it Added.

Jaahnavi Kandula, a graduate student from India, arrived here. When a police cruiser struck and murdered her as she was crossing the street, officer Auderer remarked that her life had “limited value.” My father, who immigrated here in his 20s, sprang to mind. Mr

Congressman Ro Khanna, an Indian immigrant, remarked, “Auderer, the life of every Indian immigrant has limitless worth.

Any person who believes that a human life has “limited value” shouldn’t work in law enforcement, according to Khanna.

Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, an Indian-American, declared: “This is abhorrent. Justice for the family of Jaahnavi Kandula and responsibility for those responsible are my hopes.

The words expressed by one individual, according to Seattle City Mayor Bruce Harrell in a letter to the Kandula family, do not represent the opinions of the city or the people who call it home.

In his letter to the Kandula family, Harrell said, “We recognize that Jaahnavi’s death is a loss for our entire community—the loss of a young woman who had so much life ahead of her to do amazing things and share that joy with loved ones.”

On this matter, Seattle City and Washington State authorities have been in frequent contact with Indian Consul General Ashok Mandula in San Francisco.

Harrell sent the Kandula family his sincere sympathies, saying that the whole community “is heartbroken and mourns alongside your family, friends, and everyone who shared the privilege of knowing” her.

Community leader Ajay Bhutoria offered condolences for Kandula’s untimely loss and added that her passing serves as a reminder of the value of maintaining everyone’s safety and respect.

The awful words and subpar behavior of a Seattle police officer during this event severely disturb us. Every person deserves decency, justice, and compassion, regardless of their history or circumstances, he stated.

Bhutoria called this behavior deplorable and emphasized the need of thoroughly investigating such events and upholding responsibility in order to preserve public confidence in law enforcement.

“As a neighborhood, we must come together to stand up for Jaahnavi’s family and promote constructive change. We want the authorities to act quickly to solve this issue and put policies in place to avoid other sad occurrences, according to Bhutoria.

According to the Seattle Office of Police Accountability, an inquiry into the event has been launched and must be finished by January 29.