Indian student Jaahnavi Kandula’s father dies days before Rs 260 cr settlement in US police crash case
PTC Web Desk: The family of Jaahnavi Kandula, the 23-year-old Indian student who lost her life in a tragic road accident involving a US police vehicle in 2023, has been struck by another heartbreaking loss. Her father, Kandula Srikanth, passed away just two days before authorities announced a compensation settlement of USD 29 million (approximately Rs 260 crore) in connection with her death.
Jaahnavi was fatally hit on January 23, 2023, by a speeding police patrol vehicle in Seattle while she was crossing the road. The officer behind the wheel was reportedly responding to an emergency call at the time of the incident. The case had drawn widespread attention both in India and the United States, raising questions about road safety and accountability.
According to information, Srikanth, a retired police constable, suffered a heart attack on February 10 in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh. His last rites were conducted in Adoni on Wednesday, as the grieving family struggled to cope with yet another tragedy.
The relative added that the family is currently in mourning and not in a position to comment on the financial settlement. The compensation agreement, valued at USD 29 million, was announced shortly after Srikanth’s demise, compounding the emotional toll on the bereaved family.
Jaahnavi was pursuing a Master’s degree in Information Systems at the Seattle campus of Northeastern University at the time of the accident. Her untimely death had sparked outrage and renewed conversations about pedestrian safety and police conduct in the United States.
The back-to-back tragedies have left the Kandula family devastated, marking a painful chapter in a case that had already drawn international attention.
- With inputs from agencies
