Beyond ‘limited value’: Seattle settlement restores dignity to slain Indian student
Times of India
by CHIDANAND RAJGHATTAFebruary 13, 2026
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A $29 million settlement has been awarded to the family of Jaahnavi Kandula, a 23-year-old Indian student killed in a road accident in Seattle in January 2023. The case gained global attention after a police union leader was caught on body-camera footage laughing about her death and suggesting she had "limited value," implying her life was worth just $11,000. This callous remark highlighted the dehumanization of immigrants in the U.S., particularly those seen as "economic threats" or "cultural outsiders." The settlement, the second-largest single-victim police negligence award in U.S. history, not only compensated the family but also acknowledged the intrinsic value of Jaahnavi's life. It served as a rebuke to the systemic undervaluing of immigrants and emphasized that a life cannot be reduced to a monetary figure.
Jaahnavi was hit by a police cruiser driven by Kevin Dave, who was responding to an emergency call but failed to properly use his siren, leading to her fatal injury. The family's attorneys framed Jaahnavi not as a "foreign student" but as a cherished daughter whose future was priceless. They demanded an additional $11,000 to challenge the suggestion that her life was worth such a small amount. The City of Seattle agreed to the $29 million settlement to avoid a potential trial, which could have resulted in even
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Originally published on Times of India on 2/13/2026