University Student Missing in Dominican Republic: Family Urges Investigation Expansion

Sudiksha Konanki, a University of Pittsburgh student, went missing in Punta Cana on March 6. Her father is urging authorities to expand the investigation to include kidnapping or foul play, as her personal belongings were left with friends. The University is providing support, while local and federal authorities collaborate on the case.

Sudiksha Konanki, a 20-year-old University of Pittsburgh student, went missing on March 6 while vacationing in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, along with friends. Her father, Subbarayudu Konanki, has urged authorities to expand their investigation beyond the initial search efforts, which have primarily focused on the water since her last sighting.

Witnesses indicate she was last seen near the beach at dawn on March 6. “It’s four days, and if she was in water, she would likely have been strewn to shore,” her father expressed, emphasizing the urgent need for a broadened inquiry into the circumstances surrounding her disappearance, including potential abduction.

The University of Pittsburgh has been in communication with Konanki’s family and local authorities in Virginia, offering assistance in search efforts. The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office is collaborating with federal officials and the Dominican National Police to aid in the investigation related to her disappearance.

Sudiksha and five friends arrived at the resort on March 3. Upon learning of her mysterious absence, her parents traveled to Punta Cana alongside family friends to support the search efforts. They filed a complaint calling for a thorough examination of various possibilities, highlighting the peculiar absence of her phone and wallet, typically kept close by her.

The disappearance of Sudiksha Konanki during her spring break in Punta Cana has led to growing concerns among her family and authorities. The investigations currently prioritize searches in and around the water, however, her father has insisted that the potential for foul play or abduction also requires immediate attention. The family’s active support and collaboration with the university and law enforcement emphasize the urgent need for comprehensive investigative measures to locate the missing student.

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