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Authorities in the Dominican Republic are actively searching for 20-year-old Indian-origin U.S. university student Sudiksha Konanki, who was reported missing while vacationing in Punta Cana. According to officials, Konanki was last seen before dawn on March 6 at the beach near the Riu Republica Hotel, where she had been staying with her friends.
Who was Sudiksha Konanki?
Sudiksha Konanki was a student at the University of Pittsburgh, currently pursuing her studies with ambitions of becoming a doctor. Originally from India, her family has been permanent residents of the United States since 2006, residing in Loudoun County, Virginia.
Her father, Subbarayudu Konanki, described her as an ambitious and determined young woman who was looking forward to her medical career. Konanki had traveled to Punta Cana for spring break along with five other female students from her university.
When Was She Last Seen?
According to the Dominican National Emergency System, Konanki was last seen around 4:15 a.m. on March 6 at the beach near the Riu Republica Hotel. Surveillance footage captured her with a group of young adults, including a young man who entered the water. Her companions reported her missing at 4:00 p.m. the same day—nearly 12 hours after her last sighting.
CNN reported that additional surveillance footage showed five women and one man leaving the beach at around 5:55 a.m., while Konanki remained behind with another individual. The man was later seen leaving the beach area at 9:55 a.m., with no sign of Konanki. Authorities have since questioned him, along with others who were last seen with her, in an effort to piece together what happened during those critical early morning hours.
The Dominican Republic’s Civil Defense and multiple rescue teams have been conducting extensive searches by air and sea, using helicopters, drones, and other advanced technology to scan the coastal area of Bávaro. Officials have also searched nearby bays, bushes, and trees for any possible clues.
The Indian Embassy in the Dominican Republic is working closely with local authorities, as well as the U.S. State Department and federal law enforcement agencies, to assist in the search.
Family’s Plea for a Wider Investigation
Sudiksha Konanki’s father has urged authorities to explore other possible leads beyond the assumption of drowning, citing concerns about potential foul play, including kidnapping or human trafficking. “They’re only looking in the water, but I want them to also investigate other possibilities,” he told CNN from Punta Cana.
A missing person notice describes Sudiksha Konanki as 5 feet 3 inches tall, with black hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a brown bikini, large round earrings, a metal designer anklet on her right leg, yellow and steel bracelets on her right hand, and a multicolored beaded bracelet on her left hand.
The University of Pittsburgh has urged anyone with information regarding her whereabouts to contact authorities immediately. “University officials are in contact with Sudiksha Konanki’s family as well as authorities in Loudoun County, Virginia, and we have offered our full support in their efforts to find her and bring her home safely,” said university spokesperson Jared Stonesifer.
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