Seattle Pays $29M to Indian Student’s Family

The city of Seattle has agreed to pay $29 million (around ₹262 crore) to the family of Jaahnavi Kandula, a 23-year-old Indian student who was fatally struck by a speeding police vehicle in 2023.

City officials described the incident as a tragic loss and expressed hope that the settlement would provide some measure of relief to her family.

Originally from Andhra Pradesh, Kandula was pursuing a master’s degree at Northeastern University’s South Lake Union campus. She had moved to the United States from Bengaluru in 2021 through a student exchange programme and was expected to graduate later this year.

The fatal collision occurred when a police officer, reportedly driving at speeds reaching 119 kmph in a zone limited to 40 kmph, hit Kandula while responding to a drug overdose call.

Her death triggered widespread outrage, which intensified after body camera footage surfaced showing another officer making insensitive remarks about her life and suggesting a financial payout. The comments drew criticism from oversight authorities, who said they damaged public confidence in the police department.

The officer heard in the recording was later dismissed and subsequently challenged his termination in court, arguing that his remarks were intended as criticism of potential legal responses rather than the victim.

The officer driving the vehicle was also removed from the department, cited for negligent driving, and fined $5,000. However, prosecutors declined to pursue felony charges, stating there was insufficient evidence to prove deliberate disregard for safety.

Approximately $20 million of the settlement is expected to be covered by the city’s insurance, with the remainder funded through municipal resources.