New Delhi: A 24-year-old tourist from Iowa, Joshua Steven Ribe, was the last person seen with Sudiksha Konanki, a 20-year-old student from the University of Pittsburgh, who disappeared from a beach in the Dominican Republic. Ribe, who admits he passed out on the shore, stated that when he woke up, Ms. Konanki was gone, as reported by El Nacional.
As the search for Sudiksha enters its fourth day, her family is increasingly worried she may have been kidnapped. Sudiksha, a pre-med student from Virginia, was on vacation with friends at the Riu Republica Resort in Punta Cana. They were seen enjoying themselves at a resort disco until 3 am before heading to the beach around 4 am. By 5:50 am, her friends left her with Mr. Ribe, making him the last known person to be with her.
Mr. Ribe has given three different accounts of what happened after her friends left:
– He got sick from the waves, checked on Ms. Konanki, and then lost consciousness.
– He last saw her in knee-deep water before passing out.
– He claimed to have seen her walking on the beach before he fell asleep.
Despite the contradictions, he is not currently considered a suspect and is cooperating with the police.
Ms. Konanki’s friends waited nearly 12 hours to report her missing, doing so at 4 pm on Thursday, according to The NY Post.
Search efforts include drones, helicopters, boats, and scuba teams. Juan Salas, the director of the Dominican Republic’s Civil Defence, indicated that the likelihood of finding her alive is “minimal.” Officials suspect she may have drowned, as some of her clothing was found on a beach chair. Sudiksha’s father, Subbarayudu Konanki, has requested a broader investigation due to fears of possible kidnapping.
“It’s been four days, and if she were in the water, she would have been found by now,” he explained, urging authorities to explore various scenarios, including abduction. The family’s concern was heightened by the fact that Sudiksha’s phone and wallet were left with her friends, which was out of character for her.
Family friend Ramprakash Krishnamanaidu expressed concern, asking, “If she’s not in the water and can’t be found at the resorts or the hospitals, where could she be?”
The Dominican National Police are now questioning several people, including Sudiksha’s friends and other resort guests, and are reviewing surveillance footage from nearby locations.
International agencies such as the FBI and the DEA are assisting in the case, while the Indian Embassy in the Dominican Republic is also involved.
Source link
Sudiksha Konanki,Missing Indian student,Dominican beach
