The disappearance of American college student Sudiksha Konanki in the Dominican Republic has garnered significant attention both nationally and internationally. The 20-year-old University of Pittsburgh student from Loudoun County, Virginia, was last seen walking on a beach outside the RIU Republica Resort in the early morning hours of March 6. Despite extensive search efforts, she has yet to be located. Konanki was in the Dominican Republic with a group of six female Pitt students at the resort prior to her disappearance.
On March 5, Konanki was seen walking on the beach with a group of people before most of them returned to the hotel. One person remained with Konanki on the beach into the early morning hours of March 6. The male friend who was with Konanki around the time of her disappearance is under investigation by the national police force, La Policia Nacional. Reports suggest that the man gave conflicting versions of the events leading up to Konanki’s disappearance, including entering the water with her before feeling ill and leaving her behind.
Efforts to locate Konanki have involved collaboration between various agencies, including the Embassy of India in the Dominican Republic, the State Department, and local law enforcement. Defensa Civil Dominicana, a search and rescue force in the Dominican Republic, has conducted extensive search operations with the help of other institutions and groups. RIU Hotels, where Konanki was staying, has been actively involved in the search efforts and expressed sympathy for her family and friends during this challenging time. The hotel’s emergency protocols have been activated to assist in the search for Konanki.
As of March 10, the search for Konanki continues, with authorities still actively investigating her disappearance. Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares stated that her friends have been accounted for, but there is still much unknown about the circumstances surrounding Konanki’s disappearance. Despite reports that she may have drowned, authorities have not seen evidence to confirm this. Investigators are conducting interviews with individuals who were with Konanki before her disappearance, reviewing surveillance footage, and analyzing phone records to piece together the events leading up to her vanishing. The search efforts involve collaboration between multiple agencies and entities to locate Konanki and bring closure to her family and loved ones.
