Jaahnavi Kandula, 23, a student at Northeastern University in South Lake Union, tragically lost her life when she was hit by a Seattle Police vehicle.
Jaahnavi Kandula Death: In a recent development in the case of Jaahnavi Kandula’s death by accident that took place on January 23, 2023, near Dexter Avenue North and Thomas Street, a top Hindu advocacy group in the USA has said that it is “shocking” and “disheartening” to see that the investigation into the killing of Indian student Jaahnavi Kandula is dismissed with no charges against those who struck her.
Jaahnavi Kandula, 23, a student at Northeastern University in South Lake Union, tragically lost her life when she was hit by a Seattle Police vehicle driven by Kevin Dave as mentioned above.
After investigations and legal proceedings, the authorities in the USA ruled on Wednesday, January 21 that Dave will not face any criminal charges due to the lack of “sufficient” evidence.
Reacting to this conclusion, the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA), a Hindu advocacy group, said on Friday (local time) that it is “doubly shocking that such serious violations of civil rights of Hindus of different backgrounds and ages do not even merit any restorative justice.”
Expressing their anguish and disappointment, CoHNA said in a post on X: “It is shocking and disheartening to see the investigation into the killing of #JaahnaviKandula be dismissed with no charges against those who struck her. Where is #justice for the family of this young international student, run over in a #Seattle sidewalk by a police car? We are reminded of the infamous 2015 case of Sureshbhai Patel, who faced police brutality that left him paralyzed while simply out for a walk in his own neighborhood in Alabama, and where charges were similarly dismissed due to “lack of sufficient evidence.” It is doubly shocking that such serious violations of the civil rights of #Hindus of different backgrounds and ages do not even merit any restorative justice. #justiceforjaahnavi”.
It is shocking and disheartening to see the investigation into the killing of #JaahnaviKandula be dismissed with no charges against those who struck her. Where is #justice for the family of this young international student, run over in a #Seattle sidewalk by a police car?
We are… pic.twitter.com/9HZcAeYtIg
— CoHNA (Coalition of Hindus of North America) (@CoHNAOfficial) February 23, 2024
CoHNA further said that they are reminded of the “infamous” 2015 case of Sureshbhai Patel, who faced police brutality that left him paralysed.
The King County Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement on Wednesday that they will not be moving ahead with the trial against Seattle Police Officer Dave, and no criminal charges will be pressed against him.
It is worth noting that the Biden administration assured the Indian government of a quick investigation into the death of Jaahnavi Kandula after India’s Ambassador to the USA Taranjit Singh Sandhu, strongly raised the issue at the highest level in Washington and sought prompt action on the killing of Kandula, and the highly insensitive behaviour of the police officer in Seattle in Washington state.
Jaahnavi Kandula was hit by a Seattle Police vehicle driven by Kevin Dave on January 23, 2023. Dave, who was responding to a “high priority” call that day at 8 pm, had chirped his siren but did not have it running consistently, as he plowed into Kandula, reported The New York Post.
Kandula came to the USA in 2021 and was pursuing a Master of Science in Information Systems at the College of Engineering, Northeastern University.
Daughter of a single mother who earned less than $200 a month and had taken an education loan, Kandula was set to graduate in December 2023.
The Seattle Police Department expressed its “deepest condolences to Kandula’s family and called it “a terrible tragedy for everyone involved”.
Kandula was flung over a distance of 138 feet (42 m) as a result of the collision and died on the spot.
(With IANS inputs)