Konanki, who was staying at a resort in Punta Cana, had left her white netted sarong and beige flip-flops by the lounge chair, before heading to the beach in her brown bikini. File photo
Missing Indian Sudiksha Konanki's clothes found at Dominican beach where she disappeared
Indian-American Konanki was reported missing around 4 pm on March 6 by her group of five friends with whom she travelled to the Dominican Republic
The clothes of Sudiksha Konanki, a missing University of Pittsburgh student, who reportedly went missing on March 6 in the Dominican Republic, were found on the lounge chair at the beach where she had disappeared.
Konanki, who is an Indian citizen and a permanent resident of the US, was reported missing around 4 pm on March 6 by her group of five friends with whom she travelled to the Caribbean nation.
News reports said that Konanki, who was staying at a resort in Punta Cana, had left her white netted sarong and beige flip-flops by the lounge chair, before heading to the beach in her brown bikini.
According to authorities Konanki was last spotted from surveillance footage walking towards the beach with her friends. Later, her friends returned to the hotel, while she and 22-year-old Joshua Riibe, a senior at St Cloud State University in Minnesota stayed on at the beach together.
Footage from the resort showed her walking arm-in-arm with Riibe along a resort pathway, accompanied by friends. She was seen wearing a white T-shirt, shorts, and her hair tied in a ponytail.
Person of interest
Riibe has been singled out as a 'person of interest' in the case since he was the last person to have seen the missing student.
Though Dominican police suspect drowning with Riibe saying in a statement that a wave had hit them while they were on the beach.
No blood or signs of violence have been found at the scene.
Konanki's father has urged investigators to widen their scope of investigation and explore other possibilities, like abduction. The family also finds it unusual that Konanki had left her phone and wallet back with her friends since she always carried her phone with her.
Drones and AI-assisted surveillance have been deployed to scan the ocean, while Interpol has issued a 'yellow notice' for missing persons.
The University of Pittsburgh too is working with the FBI, DEA, and Homeland Security to investigate Konanki's disappearance.
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