Parents of missing Indian student request Dominican officials to declare her dead

New York: The parents of missing Indian student Sudiksha Konanki have requested officials in the Dominican Republic to declare their daughter dead, according to US media reports. Konanki, a 20-year-old Indian citizen and permanent resident of the United States, was last seen on March 6 at the Riu Republic Resort in Punta Cana while on vacation. Despite extensive search efforts, her body has not been found, and US federal law enforcement agencies are collaborating with Dominican authorities in the investigation.

Dominican Republic National Police spokesperson Diego Pesqueira confirmed that Konanki’s family submitted a formal request for a declaration of death, NBC News reported. The family has not responded to media inquiries regarding their request. Meanwhile, authorities in the Dominican Republic have confiscated the passport of Joshua Steven Riibe, the last known person to have been with Konanki, a source close to the investigation told CNN News. Dominican Republic Attorney General Yeni Berenice Reynoso questioned Riibe over the weekend for more than six hours, and further interrogation with a local prosecutor is expected. Although Riibe is under police surveillance, he has not been named a suspect or accused of any wrongdoing, and the reason for his passport’s confiscation remains unclear.

According to a report from the New York Post, the Konanki family, in their letter to authorities, acknowledged that no foul play is suspected in their daughter’s presumed death. They expressed trust in the ongoing investigation and recognized Riibe’s cooperation with law enforcement. The parents also conveyed their understanding that legal procedures must be followed for their request and assured compliance with any necessary formalities or documentation, as reported by ABC News.

Konanki, whom her father described as an “ambitious” student with aspirations of studying medicine, arrived in Punta Cana on March 3 with five other female students from the University of Pittsburgh, according to the Loudon County Sheriff's Office. Riibe stated that he first met Konanki at the hotel when he and his friend introduced themselves to her group. Later, the two groups socialized at the hotel bar, where they drank together before someone suggested going to the beach.

Surveillance footage from the Riu República Hotel bar captured Konanki drinking with five women and two men in the early hours of March 6. She was seen wearing a white cover-up while hugging and talking to her friends. Footage also showed Riibe stumbling outside on the lawn a few feet away. At 4:15 am, security cameras recorded the group, including Konanki, heading toward the beach. However, at approximately 5 am, five women and one man were seen leaving the beach—Konanki was not among them, sources close to the investigation told CNN.

During his fourth interview with prosecutors, Riibe described an attempt to save Konanki after they were caught in the waves, saying she became too exhausted to swim. Despite ongoing investigations, Dominican authorities have stated that no one is currently considered a suspect in Konanki’s disappearance. US officials have also classified the case as a missing persons matter rather than a criminal investigation.

With PTI inputs