Death of Adoni girl in US: Comments of Seattle police draw condemnation

Kurnool: The US accident leading to the death of a 23-year-old student Jaahnavi Kandula from Adoni, on January 25 last, was caused by a Seattle Police car, video shots released on social media showed. It also carried some harsh comments from a senior cop.

The police bodycam footage about the horrible mishap went viral on social media platforms this week.

Kandula Jaahnavi, who had gone to Seattle from Adoni in Kurnool district in 2021, was pursuing her Master's degree in Information Systems at the Seattle campus of Northeastern University. Her graduation was expected by December next.

The King County prosecuting attorney’s office is conducting a criminal review of the crash to determine whether any criminal charges were warranted.’

The incident came to public attention when the body-worn camera footage captured Daniel Auderer, the vice-president of the Seattle



Police Officers Guild, being engaged in a phone conversation shortly after the accident occurred.

Auderer had arrived at the scene of the accident, where the police vehicle of officer Kevin Dave, who was responding at high speed to another mishap call, had hit and fatally injured Jaahnavi.

In the recorded conversation, Auderer's comments were insensitive. He was heard suggesting that Kandula's life had "limited value" and even proposed that the city should simply "write a cheque."

This incident brought to the fore questions about accountability within the police department in Seattle and about the wrong behaviour of police officers.

The victim’s mother, Kandula Vijayalakshmi, who resides at MIG Colony in Adoni, made no comment, but said the family did not expect any compensation from the US government.