 "How Indian-origin student Sudiksha Konanki disappeared on a Dominican Republic holiday")
A 20-year-old student of Indian origin has vanished while on a spring break trip to the Dominican Republic.
Sudiksha Konanki, a student at the University of Pittsburgh, was reported missing in Punta Cana, a well-known tourist destination.
Authorities have now begun a search operation by land and sea to locate her.
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Officials said that Konanki was last seen “walking on the beach” in the Caribbean nation.
But who is this Indian-origin student, and what information is available about her? What do we know about her disappearance?
Who is Sudiksha Konanki?
Konanki, a resident of Loudoun County, Virginia, was in the Dominican Republic on a spring break trip with five other female University of Pittsburgh students.
According to CNN, the Konanki family is originally from India and has been permanent residents of the United States since 2006.
Missing person posters describe Konanki as 5 feet 3 inches tall, with black hair and brown eyes.
She was last seen wearing a brown bikini, large round earrings, a metal designer anklet on her right leg, yellow and steel bracelets on her right hand, and a multicoloured beaded bracelet on her left hand, as per the posters.
Her LinkedIn profile indicates that she is set to graduate from the University of Pittsburgh in 2026, though her major remains unknown.
Before attending university, she studied at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Virginia.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsThe University of Pittsburgh has released a statement offering full support to Konanki’s family and the authorities.
“University officials are in contact with Sudiksha Konanki’s family as well as authorities in Loudoun County, Virginia, and we have offered our full support in their efforts to find her and bring her home safely,” university spokesperson Jared Stonesifer told the New York Post.
How did she disappear?
According to Civil Defense officials stated that Sudiksha Konanki was last seen before dawn on March 6 at a beach near the resort where she was staying with friends.
Local authorities said that she vanished while walking along the shore. According to the Dominican National Police, she **went missing** at 4:15 am on Thursday, local time.
My administration is working closely with federal and local partners as the search continues for Sudiksha Konanki. Thank you to Loudoun County Sheriff Mike Chapman and @FBIDirectorKash for your ongoing efforts.
— Governor Glenn Youngkin (@GovernorVA) March 10, 2025
If you have any information please reach out to the numbers below. pic.twitter.com/8Ddr1KsgbB
A statement in Spanish revealed that surveillance footage from cameras near the beach captured her with a group of young adults.
Notably, investigators have not ruled out foul play. Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Thomas Julia stated, “We don’t know if there’s any foul play or if she accidentally went missing.”
“This is primarily being handled on the ground in the Dominican Republic,” she added, noting that the Indian embassy in the country had also “taken the lead on the ground,” according to Wtop News.
The sheriff’s office confirmed that six female University of Pittsburgh students had travelled to Punta Cana, including at least two from Loudoun County, among them Konanki.
She was at the resort with five other female students from the university, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office.
Her disappearance coincides with complaints from other guests at the same resort, who shared their experiences on social media. Some reported that the hotel had no power, running water, or food, as per DailyMail.
One tourist posted that guests had to charge their devices and use fans behind the reception desk. Meanwhile, a group of women staying there was seen sitting in darkness, eating a meal they had managed to “scavenge together.”
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What we know about the investigation
Police are questioning those who were with Konanki to determine where the maritime search should be concentrated.
This includes a young man who entered the water, as authorities worked to verify his account alongside other “investigative actions” that have not yet been disclosed, according to a statement from the Dominican National Emergency System.
Konanki’s father, Subbarayudu Konanki, told CNN that his daughter had travelled to Punta Cana for spring break before starting her pre-medical studies at Pittsburgh.
“My daughter is a very nice girl. She’s ambitious. She wanted to pursue a career in medicine.” He stated that she aspired to become a doctor.
He said she had informed her friends on Wednesday that she was going to a party at the resort.
“She went to the beach on March 6 early morning around 4 a.m. with friends and some other guys they met at the resort. After that, her friends came back after some time and my daughter did not come back, did not show up from the beach,” her father said.
When she was not in her room the next morning, her friends alerted authorities, he added.
“So far, the authorities, multiple authorities here in the Dominican Republic have searched in the waters. They searched using helicopters and other tools. They also searched in the near bay, bushes, trees. They went multiple times around the same areas,” Subbarayudu said.
The hotel chain stated that its staff was assisting in the search, while the Dominican National Emergency System is overseeing the operation. Meanwhile, the University of Pittsburgh has urged anyone with relevant information to contact the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office.
Konanki’s father has called for a broader investigation.
“They’re only looking in the water, but I want them to also investigate other possibilities including whether this is a case of kidnapping or human trafficking,” he said.
“We don’t think she would be able to survive for more than three days in the water and I think something else might’ve happened to her,” he told CNN.
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On Saturday, the Dominican Civil Defense stated on social media that several agencies were searching for Konanki in the coastal region of Bavaro, a resort area in Punta Cana. The agencies involved include local firefighters, police, the Dominican National Police, and the Dominican Navy.
In an update on Sunday, the Dominican Civil Defense confirmed that the search resumed at 6 am local time, with drones and helicopters from the Dominican Armed Forces deployed.
Notably, the US State Department currently has a level two travel advisory for the Dominican Republic, which urges visitors to remain vigilant.
“Violent crime, including armed robbery, homicide, and sexual assault, is a concern throughout the Dominican Republic,” the department stated in a June 2024 travel advisory.
It also advised travellers to stay alert and avoid displaying wealth.
With inputs from agencies
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