Updated March 20th 2025, 11:34 IST
New Delhi: A 20-year-old Indian-origin student, Sudiksha Konanki, went missing during a spring break trip with her friends in the popular tourist town of Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Her sudden disappearance has raised widespread concerns and sparked speculation about foul play, leaving both her family and local authorities struggling to piece together the mystery.
Sudiksha, a student in the United States, was last seen walking along the beach in a brown bikini several days ago. After that, she seemingly vanished without a trace. Despite extensive search efforts by local authorities and her family, there has been no sign of the young woman, leaving her loved ones desperate for answers.
Before going missing, Sudiksha was seen enjoying time at a hotel bar with a group of friends. The group, which consisted of five women, aged 20–22, and two men, aged 22, appeared to be having a carefree time. However, the events that followed her visit to the bar remain shrouded in mystery.
Local police suggest that Sudiksha may have drowned after jumping into the ocean, but her family has firmly dismissed this theory. They believe there may have been foul play involved, casting doubt on whether her disappearance was truly accidental.
Reports from Dominican outlet Noticia SIN indicate that Sudiksha was seen with her group of friends at the hotel bar shortly before she went missing. The carefree atmosphere at the bar stands in stark contrast to the confusion that followed.
According to a report by the *New York Post*, a spokesperson from the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office confirmed that they were contacted on Thursday evening regarding a missing woman, later identified as Sudiksha. Authorities described her as being 5 feet 3 inches tall, with black hair and brown eyes.
Joshua Steven Ribe, a 24-year-old tourist from Iowa, was the last person to see Sudiksha before her disappearance. Local reports reveal that Ribe has given three different versions of the events surrounding her vanishing.
Also read | Sudiksha Konanki Case: New Bar Video And Beach Clues Fuel Mystery Around Missing Indian Student in Dominican
In his first account, Ribe stated that after attending an all-night party, he and Sudiksha went into the ocean together. He claimed to have felt unwell due to the rough waves, so he returned to shore, checking to see if Sudiksha was okay. In his second version, Ribe said that he left Sudiksha in knee-deep water when he began to feel sick and passed out. When he woke up, she was gone. His final version described seeing Sudiksha walking along the beach before he fell asleep; when he woke up, she was no longer there.
As search efforts continued without success, Sudiksha’s family grew increasingly frustrated with the lack of answers. Her parents have reportedly requested that the authorities in the Dominican Republic officially declare their daughter deceased, as confirmed by US media outlets. However, despite this request, nobody has been recovered, leaving the family in a state of anguish and uncertainty.
As the search efforts intensify, Sudiksha’s friends, family, and authorities continue to hope for answers and seek justice. The unanswered questions surrounding her disappearance remain, and her loved ones are left grappling with the possibility of foul play as they await clarity on what happened to the young woman.
Published March 20th 2025, 11:34 IST