Hunt for Indian Student Sudiksha Konanki Enters Day 4 in Dominican Republic – Father’s Emotional Plea
Dominican authorities and US agencies are searching for Sudiksha Konanki, a missing University of Pittsburgh student last seen around March 6.
Hunt for Indian Student Sudiksha Konanki Enters Day 4: Authorities from the Dominican Republic and the United States have increased their search efforts for Sudiksha Konanki, a 20-year-old University of Pittsburgh student who disappeared from clinical vacationing in Punta Cana, where she is a perennial residency of the United States and is also an Indian national. She was last seen on the beach near her resort very early in the hours on March 6.
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Ongoing investigation
Sudiksha Konanki had come to Riu Republica, a vacation resort, to spend time with five other college girls when she went missing.
Reports say that they had returned from nightclub partying with friends on March 5 and hung around at the beach at about 4 am. She was seen on a video returning to the hotel with all but one of her friends at 5.55 am, but Konanki is said to have stayed behind on the beach with an unidentified man.
He said later in his testimony to investigators that they were swimming together and got caught up by a bad wave; when he came back ashore, he threw up and went to sleep on a lounger, then woke up to find she was missing; at roughly 9 am he was seen going into his hotel room at about 9.55 am.
Investigators have not found signs of foul play, but they did find a sarong-style cover-up belonging to Konanki on a beach chair near the site of her disappearance. Her phone and wallet stayed with her pals, and it concerned everyone about her safety. The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) has promised to seek a Yellow Notice from Interpol, a globally missing persons alert.
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Search efforts on
Search operations will continue at Indian beaches and waters surrounding the United States and even across countries with different K-9 teams, drones, and specialized personnel for rescue. "The Dominican Civil Defense, National police, Navy, and firefighters are all in the efforts." More US agencies, such as the FBI, DEA, and Homeland Security Investigations, will continue to perform investigations.
While speculation surrounds the drowning of Konanki, her family is appealing to authorities to investigate other possibilities, even that of abduction. His father, Subbarayudu Konanki, was asking why they have not found any body washed up if she had drowned. He and other relatives traveled straight from India to Punta Cana so that they could demand a wider probe, taking the fact that she was missing personal items into account as abnormal behavior.
According to the report in ABC News, two police sources privy to the investigation had said that "Konanki's clothes were found near a 'portable beach bed close to the beach where she went missing'".
The strong communities at the University of Pittsburgh have deep concerns with the disappearance of Konanki. “No one expects their loved one to go on vacation and not return,” said Halley Katz, a fellow student. The university has prepared itself to fully cooperate with the authorities and support the Konanki family.
Meanwhile, it reminds travelers to be vigilant during overseas travel since the Dominican Republic has had its fair share of complaints about crime and safety from tourists and remains a popular destination for holidaymakers.
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