The Dominican Republic is questioning a young man who was with missing University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki shortly before her disappearance in Punta Cana. Konanki, a 20-year-old Indian national, was last seen heading to the beach with seven others from the Riu República Hotel around 4 a.m. on Thursday. She had arrived in the country on March 3 with five companions. Surveillance footage captured five women and one man leaving the beach, but Konanki is believed to have remained behind with a young man. Later surveillance footage shows the young man leaving the beach area at 9:55 a.m., with no sign of Sudiksha Konanki. Authorities are expanding the investigation to verify his account and interviewing others who were last seen with Konanki on Thursday to help determine where their maritime search efforts should be focused.
Konanki’s father, Subbarayudu Konanki, told CNN that his daughter had traveled to Punta Cana for spring break before starting pre-med studies at the University of Pittsburgh. He said that Konanki told friends on Wednesday that she was heading to a party at the resort. Multiple authorities in the Dominican Republic have searched the waters using helicopters and other tools, as well as nearby bays, bushes, and trees.
Konanki’s companions reported her missing around 4 p.m. Thursday, nearly 12 hours after she was last seen at 4 a.m. The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office has since coordinated with federal law enforcement, the U.S. State Department, and officials in the Dominican Republic.
The Dominican National Emergency System is leading search efforts for Sudiksha Konanki, a woman who drowned in the Caribbean. Four drone teams equipped with advanced technology have been deployed to conduct a thorough search in the coastal area of Bávaro. The University of Pittsburgh has urged anyone with information to contact the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office. Konanki’s father, Subbarayudu Konanki, is calling for a broader investigation, including whether this is a case of kidnapping or human trafficking. He believes she would not survive for more than three days in the water and believes something else might have happened to her. The U.S. State Department has issued a Level 2 travel advisory for the Dominican Republic, warning U.S. citizens to exercise increased caution when visiting due to violent crime, including armed robbery, homicide, and sexual assault. The Embassy of India is extending assistance in coordination with government authorities of the Dominican Republic.
