Jaahnavi Kandula’s Death Case. Rally held in Seattle demanding justice for Indian student

Seattle. More than 100 members of the South Asian community organized a rally demanding justice for Indian student Jhanvi Kandula and the jailing of the guilty police officers. This rally was organized at the same place where Kandula was hit by a speeding police car and he died. When Kandula was crossing the road on January 23, 2023, she was hit by a police vehicle. This vehicle was being driven by an officer named Kevin Dave. He was driving at a speed exceeding 119 kilometers per hour, violating the speed limit on the information of a case related to drug ‘overdose’. In bodycam footage released Monday by the Seattle Police Department, Officer Daniel Orderer is heard laughing and talking about the fatal crash. At the same time, he is also seen rejecting the scope of Dave’s mistake.

More than 100 members of the Seattle area’s South Asian community gathered in Denny Park on Saturday and marched to the intersection where Kandula was hit. During this time, the members were holding placards on which it was written, “Jhanvi is worth more than the Seattle Police Department” and “Justice for Jhanvi, jail for the killer policeman”. The rally was organized by Utsav, a Bothell-based organization that helps connect South Asians with their communities. Democratic Party leader Vandana Slater said, we are not a united Indian community. There are migrant people also in the community but we are all united today. The officer’s comments regarding the accident have sparked international outrage. Shafali Jamwal, who brought her three-year-old son to the rally, said that Kandula was a postgraduate student and had come to America for studies, due to which her life was of high value. Jamwal said, I can only imagine what Kandula’s mother must be going through. The members lit candles and placed bouquets with Jhanvi written at the intersection.

Kandula was to receive a master’s degree in information systems from Northeastern University’s Seattle campus in December this year. Northeastern University Chancellor Kenneth W. Henderson expressed grief over Kandula’s death, saying in a statement posted on the university’s official Facebook page on Friday, “He will be greatly missed by students, staff and faculty.” The university plans to award Jhanvi her degree posthumously. This degree will be handed over to the family.” Earlier Saturday, community members met with Seattle’s mayor and police chief regarding the release of the footage. He said he is not against the police but that police should improve training in Seattle. Founder of ‘Utsav’ Arun Sharma said that if the police department does not take action against the orderer and Dave, the organization will plan to increase its action. Sharma said, now we should not wait for another such big incident to wake up.

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