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India
The family of 20-year-old Indian student Sudiksha Konanki, who went missing in the Dominican Republic earlier this month, has formally requested authorities to declare her dead. According to reports from US media, Konanki’s family sent an official letter to the Dominican Republic National Police, acknowledging that there is no suspected foul play in her presumed death.
Konanki, an Indian citizen and a permanent resident of the United States, was last seen on March 6 at the Riu Republic Resort in Punta Cana. Despite extensive search efforts, her body has not been recovered.
Last Known Movements Before Disappearance
Konanki had traveled to Punta Cana on March 3 with five other female students from the University of Pittsburgh. According to reports, she was last seen drinking with her group at the hotel bar on the night of March 5, accompanied by five women and two men. Surveillance footage showed the group later heading towards the beach at around 4:15 a.m. on March 6.
Approximately 45 minutes later, at 5:00 a.m., the footage captured five women and one man leaving the beach. However, Konanki was not among them.
Investigation and Interrogation of Last Known Companion
Authorities in the Dominican Republic have taken steps to investigate Konanki’s disappearance. They have confiscated the passport of Joshua Steven Riibe, a 22-year-old student from Rock Rapids, Iowa, who was reportedly the last person to have been with Konanki before she went missing. While Riibe has not been declared a suspect, he has been questioned multiple times and remains under police surveillance.
Dominican Republic Attorney General Yeni Berenice Reynoso questioned Riibe for more than six hours over the weekend, with further questioning expected in collaboration with a local prosecutor. His parents stated that he has been taken to the police station for interrogation multiple times but has cooperated fully with investigators.
Family’s Statement on the Case
In their letter to authorities, Konanki’s family acknowledged that there was no evidence of foul play in their daughter’s disappearance. They expressed trust in the ongoing investigation and noted that Riibe had been cooperative throughout the probe. The letter also indicated that they were prepared to comply with any necessary legal formalities required for their request to be processed.
Konanki’s father described her as an “ambitious” student with plans to study medicine. The sudden and mysterious nature of her disappearance has left her family devastated, and their request for a declaration of death comes after nearly two weeks without any progress in locating her.
Authorities Maintain It Is a Missing Persons Case
Authorities in the Dominican Republic and the United States have both stated that the case remains classified as a missing persons investigation rather than a criminal matter. The Dominican Republic police have reiterated that no one is considered a suspect at this time.
Meanwhile, US federal law enforcement agencies continue to work closely with authorities in the Caribbean country to determine what happened in the early hours of March 6.
Unanswered Questions and Ongoing Search Efforts
Despite thorough searches in and around the resort area, no significant leads have emerged. The circumstances surrounding Konanki’s disappearance remain unclear, and investigators are still trying to piece together the events of that night.
While the Konanki family has requested a declaration of death, authorities have yet to respond formally to the request. The case continues to attract attention, and the search for answers remains ongoing.
