Andhra student’s death in US: Indian consulate says 'deeply troubling' after cops were caught laughing

Kurnool: Waking up to the disturbing video, Indian consulate in San Francisco said it has strongly taken up the handling of the student's death, who was hit by a police car, with the concerned officials.

This follows the leaked audio of a body camera of policemen joking and laughing over the death of 23-year-old Indian student Jahnavi Kandula in Seattle

A native of Adoni in Kurnool of Andhra Pradesh, the 23-year-old Jahnavi, was hit by a police officer, Kevin Dave, who was on his way to attend a call on January 23, 2023. She was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead.

Another police officer, Daniel Auderer, vice president of the Seattle Police Officers Guild, was assigned to check whether Dave was under any influence. As he inadvertently left his body camera on, it recorded a call made to the guild president Mike Solan.

An audio captured by the body camera of the responding police officer joking and suggesting her life had "limited value" has been released recently.

"That's not reckless for a trained driver. But she is dead. No, it's a regular person. The city should "just write a check". "Eleven thousand dollars. She was 26 anyway," said Auderr laughing and misquoting her age in the audio.

In the video, Auderer can be heard saying `she is dead' before bursting out into laughter.

The 23-year-old student from Telangana was pursuing a master's degree in information systems. She was set to graduate this coming December with a master's degree in information systems from the Seattle campus of Northeastern University. According to her family members, Jahnavi was working to support her mother in India.

"Recent reports including in media of the handling of Jaahnavi Kandula's death in a road accident in Seattle in January are deeply troubling. We have taken up the matter strongly with local authorities in Seattle & Washington State as well as senior officials in Washington DC for a thorough investigation & action against those involved in this tragic case. The Consulate & Embassy will continue to closely follow up on this matter with all concerned authorities,”, tweeted Consulate General of India in San Francisco.

Jahnavi's uncle Ashok Mandula told the media that the family has nothing to say after reports over the body camera audio. “I wonder if these men's daughters or granddaughters have value. A life is a life," he said.