A viral video that ridiculed the tragic accident involving the Indian student Jahnavi Kandula, who lost her life in a car crash in the United States earlier this year, has sparked widespread outrage within the Indian community. The incident has garnered significant attention and condemnation, as reported by NDTV.
As reported by The Seattle Times, on January 23rd of this year, police officer Kevin Devitt's vehicle collided with Jahnavi while he was traveling at a speed of 119 kilometers per hour, who was walking on the road. She was thrown nearly 100 feet away upon impact and was rushed to the Harborview Medical Center but couldn't survive.
This tragic incident has led to the creation of a humoristic video by a police officer in the United States, which has only intensified the anger and frustration within the Indian community. In the video, captured on a body camera, a Seattle police officer named Daniel Adler is heard saying that Jahnavi Kandula's life was worth very little, and Seattle city would cut a check to her family to settle the matter.
In response to this situation, Northeastern University has made the decision to posthumously confer a degree upon Jahnavi Kandula. The university's chancellor stated, "We have observed that this tragic incident and the subsequent flow of events have deeply affected Indian students at Northeastern University. We are expressing solidarity with Jahnavi's family and Indian students. We hope that justice and accountability will be established in the ongoing investigation."
The university has also provided a helpline number for mental health support in light of this disclosure.
In 2021, Jahnavi Kandula, a 23-year-old from Andhra Pradesh, came to the United States as part of a student exchange program from Bengaluru. She was expected to complete her bachelor's degree by the following December.