US: People maintain rally in Seattle to demand justice for Jaahnavi Kandula

More than 200 members of the Indian neighborhood organised a rally on December 16 on the spot the place Indian pupil Jaahnavi Kandula from Andhra Pradesh was run over and killed by a rushing police patrol automotive. The protesters demanded sensitivity, respect, and imprisonment for the law enforcement officials who dedicated the crime.

The 23-year-old Jaahnavi was struck by a police four-wheeler which was pushed by Officer Kevin Dave as she crossed a road. In a bodycam video launched by the Seattle Police Department on September 11, officer Daniel Auderer chuckled concerning the deadly collision and denied any suggestion that the opposite policeman may need been at blame or {that a} legal investigation was required.

In the launched video, Seattle police Department union chief Daniel Auderer was heard laughing and suggesting that Jaahnavi Kandula was 26, and her life had “limited value” and that town ought to simply “write a cheque” value USD 11,000. “Eleven thousand dollars. She was 26, anyway. She had limited value.”

Residents of the Seattle area assembled in Denny Park and marched to the junction the place the incident occurred. They carried placards that learn, “Jaahnavi had more value than the Seattle Police Department”, and “Justice for Jaahnavi, jail killer cops.” The Bothell-based charity UTSAV organised the demonstration.

Representative Vandana Slatter, D-Bellevue addressed the group and acknowledged, “We’re not a monolith, the Indian community. There’s diaspora in the community, but we are all united today.”

The officer’s remarks on a clip, taken the evening of the tragedy, have provoked fury all through the world. The protesters emphasised that the sufferer’s life was priceless. Shifali Jamwal, who additionally introduced her 3-year-old child to the rally, asserted that Jaahnavi Kandula was a grasp’s pupil who got here to the United States to additional her training so “her life would have more value.”

She mentioned, “I can only imagine what Jaahnavi’s mom is going through.” A 25-year-old participant Kyla Carrillo described the cop’s statements as “completely disrespectful.” She talked about, “Not even unbelievable, not shocking, but just for (him) to value somebody’s life as such was disrespectful.” Marchers positioned bouquets beneath an indication and ignited tea lights to type the phrase “Jaahnavi” between the lanes of the crossroads.

Jaahnavi Kandula was scheduled to obtain her grasp’s in info methods from Northeastern University’s Seattle campus in December. According to her household, she was trying to assist her mom in India.

Kenneth W. Henderson, Chancellor of Northeastern University conveyed his disappointment at her passing on September 15 in a press release posted on the college’s official Facebook web page. It learn, “Her loss will be felt deeply by students, staff, and faculty. The university plans to award Jaahnavi her degree posthumously and present it to her family.”

Community members and the mayor together with the police chief of Seattle had a gathering earlier on September 16 to debate the airing of the bodycam video. They mentioned that whereas they don’t assist the abolition of the police, however Seattle should improve coaching and proceed to work together with the South Asian neighborhood.

The founding father of UTSAV, Arun Sharma, added that if the Police Department fails to pursue motion towards the accused, the group goes to escalate its response. “Let’s not wait for another major incident like this to wake us up. Immigrants die by a thousand cuts”, he mentioned.

“Who had unlimited value,” the group chanted and responded “Jaahnavi Kandula. Say her name. Jaahnavi Kandula,” earlier than leaving from there.

The Consulate General of India in San Francisco has additionally raised considerations over the dealing with of the case and has demanded a radical investigation and motion towards these concerned.