Sudiksha Konanki, Indian-origin student in US, goes missing in Dominican Republic during vacation

Authorities in Dominican Republic are conducting an extensive search for Sudiksha Konanki, a 20-year-old University of Pittsburgh student who went missing from a beach in Punta Cana.

Konanki, an Indian national and permanent US resident, was last seen early Thursday morning near the Riu Republica Hotel, where she was vacationing with friends, reports said.

According to the Dominican National Emergency System, Konanki was last spotted at 4:15 a.m. on the beach, accompanied by a group of young adults. Surveillance footage captured her presence near the shore.

Authorities are interviewing those who were with her at the time, including a young man who entered the water, to corroborate their accounts. The Dominican National Police and other agencies are focusing their efforts on a maritime search but have yet to rule out other possibilities.

Her father, Subbarayudu Konanki, expressed concerns about the investigation, saying that he wants authorities to consider alternate scenarios such as kidnapping or human trafficking. “They’re only looking in the water, but I want them to also investigate other possibilities,” he told CNN. He added that given the circumstances, he does not believe she could have survived in the water for three days.

Authorities have deployed drones and search teams in collaboration with the Tourism Police, Civil Defense, Dominican Navy and other rescue organizations.

The search has covered coastal areas, including Bávaro, with helicopters and ground patrols scouring nearby locations. The Indian Embassy in the Dominican Republic is actively coordinating efforts alongside local law enforcement and the US State Department.

Konanki was staying at the Riu Republica Resort with five other female students from the University of Pittsburgh. The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office in Virginia, where she resides, was notified on Thursday evening and has been working with federal agencies to support the search.

The University of Pittsburgh has extended its full support to Konanki’s family and the authorities involved. “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,” university spokesperson Jared Stonesifer stated.

Sudiksha Konanki is a pre-med student at the University of Pittsburgh. Originally from India, she and her family have been permanent residents of the United States since 2006. Her father described her as an ambitious young woman who aspired to become a doctor.

“She’s a very nice girl. She’s ambitious. She wanted to pursue a career in medicine,” her father said.

Konanki traveled to Punta Cana for spring break with friends. According to her father, she mentioned attending a party at the resort on Wednesday night before heading to the beach early Thursday morning. Her friends returned after some time, but Konanki did not come back. Concerned, they reported her missing the next day.

Authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward as the search continues.