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In a small village called Halvi in the Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh, Jaahnavi Kandula was brought up with such big aspirations at the tender age of 23. The fair daughter of a police officer and a housewife, she was a high achiever and went back to the US in 2021 to continue her graduate studies at the University of Seattle of Northeastern in the Master of Information Systems course. Jaahnavi was full of life and was going to graduate in December 2023 and go home the pride of her family.

However, it all happened differently one rainy evening of January 23, 2023. When Jaahnavi was crossing a street in the South Lake Union area of Seattle, she was hit by a speeding police patrol car to which Sergeant was driving officer Kevin Dave at 74mph in a 25mph speed limit. She was thrown 100 feet and died of the injuries. This tragedy was further enhanced when footage on a bodycam was also released several months later: another officer, Daniel Auderer was filmed laughing and saying in a callous manner, that her life had limited value and to write a cheque. The video subsequently created an international commotion, demonstrations in India, and calls of justice by the Indian consulate.

Mahabunnisa, the mother to Jaahnavi, and Kandula Srikanth, her father, sued the city on a wrongful death case urging the city to hold the negligence parties responsible. The family went through three years of agony during which they used to wait and remember their lovely daughter who had a smile and who was fond of calling home and making plans about her future.

On February 12, 2026, the City of Seattle settled with Jaahnavi family at 29million, which is around 262crore ($29 million). According to the words of City Attorney Erika Evans, her death was heartbreaking, and she claimed that her life had a purpose to her family, her friends, and her community. The huge sum could be regarded as a direct reply to a calless comment by the police officers, to prove the protection of invaluable worth of her young life.

But sorrow was mixed with joy. Only two days ago, on February 10, Jaahnavi lost her father without even being informed about the settlement that provided some form of closure. Her mother, who found herself in grief alone, was pitched at the news with mixed feelings that nothing could make her young child come back.

The story of Jaahnavi is the story of broken dreams though the legacy of change was unavoidable. Officer Dave was dismissed and fined and Auderer was dismissed and the settlement was used to emphasize the struggle of justice that transcends the boundaries. People in her village are still reminiscing Jaahnavi as the girl who touched the stars. She is no longer there but still, her light keeps on shining and she reminds us that no life is precious.