In Santo Domingo on March 18, the parents of an Indian-born student studying at a U.S. university have formally requested that local authorities declare their daughter as deceased. This request, disclosed in a letter from a police source, follows the disappearance of Sudiksha Konanki, a 20-year-old pre-med student from the University of Pittsburgh, who went missing during a trip to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic on March 6.
Konanki vanished just before an international day dedicated to women’s rights during her spring break vacation in Punta Cana. She had been in the Dominican Republic for three days, staying in a luxury hotel on the eastern coast, and was last captured on surveillance footage early in the morning heading towards the beach with friends.
According to the letter, Dominican authorities believe that Konanki is likely to have drowned, stating that the last person seen with her is cooperating with the investigation and no foul play has been detected. In view of these findings, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, the family has urged the police to initiate the legal process for declaring her death.
Following Konanki's disappearance, which prompted an Interpol alert, the Indian Embassy in the Dominican Republic pledged to provide full support in conjunction with local authorities. President Luis Abinader informed the media during a weekly press briefing that Dominican officials are working closely with U.S. authorities, including the FBI, on the ongoing investigation. The President expressed confidence that the inquiry would yield results in due course.
As a nation that welcomes over 11 million tourists annually, equivalent to its own population size and positioning it as one of the most popular destinations in the Americas, the Dominican Republic is advised for cautious travel by the U.S. government. The FBI recently cautioned spring break travelers to remain vigilant.