Sudiksha Konanki, a 20-year-old student from the University of Pittsburgh, has gone missing during a spring break trip to the Dominican Republic. She was last seen on March 6 at the Riu Republica Hotel in Punta Cana, where she had been vacationing with friends. Authorities in the Dominican Republic have launched a search to locate Konanki.
The Indian Embassy in the Dominican Republic confirmed it is in touch with Konanki’s family and is providing assistance in locating the missing student. The sheriff’s office in Loudoun County, Virginia, where Konanki resides, reported that she was with five other women from the University of Pittsburgh at the resort.
According to hotel staff, Konanki’s friends reported her missing around 4 p.m. on March 6, with her last sighting being at 4 a.m. that same day. Konanki’s father, Subbarayudu Konanki, shared that his daughter went to the beach around 4 a.m. with her friends and some acquaintances they met at the resort. Her friends later returned, but Konanki did not. Authorities have since conducted multiple searches in the water, bay area, and surrounding areas using helicopters and other tools.
Subbarayudu Konanki suggested that authorities consider other possibilities beyond the search in the water, including kidnapping and human trafficking.
The University of Pittsburgh has expressed its support for Konanki’s family, stating that it is in contact with the family and local authorities, offering full assistance in efforts to find her.
