₹262 Crore Settlement for Family of Indian Student Jaahnavi Kandula Killed by Speeding US Police Officer

The family of Jaahnavi Kandula, the 23-year-old Indian graduate student tragically killed in Seattle in 2023, has secured a landmark $29 million (approximately ₹262 crore) settlement from the city, bringing a measure of financial resolution to a case that sparked international outrage over police accountability.

The agreement, announced on February 11, 2026, resolves a $110 million (approximately ₹915 crore) wrongful death lawsuit filed by Kandula's family in 2024 against the City of Seattle and former Seattle Police Department officer Kevin Dave. Dave was driving a patrol vehicle at approximately 74 mph (119 km/h) in a 25 mph (40 km/h) zone while responding to a drug overdose call with emergency lights activated and siren used at intersections. On January 23, 2023, he struck Kandula as she crossed a street in the South Lake Union neighborhood. The impact threw her nearly 100 feet, leading to her immediate death.

Kandula, originally from Andhra Pradesh, was pursuing a master's degree in information systems at Northeastern University's Seattle campus. She was described by those who knew her as bright, ambitious, and full of promise.

The settlement notice was filed in King County Superior Court late last week. City officials stated that roughly $20 million (approximately ₹167 crore) of the payout will be covered by the city's insurance provider. In a statement, Seattle City Attorney Erika Evans said: “Jaahnavi Kandula’s death was heartbreaking, and the city hopes this financial settlement brings some sense of closure to the Kandula family. Jaahnavi Kandula’s life mattered — to her family, her friends and to our community.”

The case gained widespread attention in 2023 after body-camera footage revealed controversial remarks by another officer at the scene, fueling protests and demands for justice both in the US and India. Officer Dave was fired from the Seattle Police Department in early 2025.

While no amount can compensate for the loss of a young life, the record-breaking settlement, one of the largest in similar pedestrian fatality cases involving law enforcement, underscores the gravity of the negligence alleged in the lawsuit, which cited terror, severe emotional distress, and pain suffered by Kandula in her final moments.

The agreement ends the civil litigation, though it does not affect any potential separate criminal proceedings related to the incident. Kandula's family has yet to issue a public comment on the settlement as of February 12, 2026.