The Consulate General of India (CGI) in San Francisco strongly reacted to the reports of a US cop joking about the death of an Indian student. In a clip released on Monday, Seattle Police Officers' Guild Vice President Daniel Auderer was heard discussing a probe into an accident of a 23-year-old Indian student Jaahnavi Kandula, who was killed by a police vehicle in January this year. The CGI called the incident as deeply troubling, adding that it has taken up the matter “strongly” with local authorities in Seattle and Washington.
“Recent reports including in media of the handling of Ms Jaahnavi Kandula’s death in a road accident in Seattle in January are deeply troubling,” said the CGI in a post on X.
“We have taken up the matter strongly with local authorities in Seattle & Washington State as well as senior officials in Washington DC for a thorough investigation & action against those involved in this tragic case,” it added.
“The Consulate & Embassy will continue to closely follow up on this matter with all concerned authorities,” the post stated.
A native of Kurnool district in Andhra Pradesh, Kandula was a master's student at Northeastern University's Seattle campus. She died after being struck by a Seattle police patrol vehicle in South Lake Union.
'She Had Limited Value': Cop Caught As Saying On Camera
"She is dead" Auderer could be heard as saying in the clip posted on X while on a call with the guild's president. He called Kandula "a regular person" as he bursted into laughter.
"Yeah, just write a check. Eleven thousand dollars," he stated.
"She was 26 anyway; she had limited value," Auderer said as the 42-second footage ended.
Indian-American Senators React
Indian-American senator Ro Khanna criticised Auderer for his remarks saying life of every Indian immigrant has inifinite value.
"Jaahnavi Kandula came here for graduate work from India. She was killed on a crosswalk by a speeding police car, & Officer Auderer said her life had “limited value.” I thought of my Dad who came here in his 20s. Mr. Auderer, the life of every Indian immigrant has infinite value," he said in a post on X.
Anyone who thinks that a human life has “limited value” should not be serving in law enforcement, he added.
Another Indian-American senator, Pramila Jayapal said, "This is appalling. I hope to see justice for Jaahnavi Kandula's family and accountability for those involved."