Did Sudiksha Drown? Family Of Missing Student Wants Her Declared Dead
Photo: Facebook
India-West News Desk
RICHMOND, VA- The parents of Sudiksha Konanki, the 20-year-old University of Pittsburgh student who vanished in Punta Cana on March 6, have asked Dominican authorities to formally declare her as deceased.
In a letter to the national police on March 17, Subbarayudu and SreeDevi Konanki said they accept the account of Joshua Riibe, the last person known to have seen their daughter. Surveillance footage shows Konanki and Riibe, a 22-year-old, entering the ocean early that morning after a beach gathering with friends. The rest of the group returned to their resort around 6 a.m., leaving her alone with Riibe. He came back without her hours later.
“Following an extensive search, Dominican authorities have concluded that Sudiksha is believed to have drowned,” the letter states. “Her clothes were discovered on a beach near where she was last seen. The individual last seen with her is cooperating with the investigation, and no evidence of foul play has been found.”
The family said the decision was made after much deliberation, adding that the declaration would help them process their loss and address legal matters.
Riibe, a senior at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, remains in the Dominican Republic under surveillance. While not facing criminal charges, authorities have confiscated his passport. In a leaked police interview transcript, he claimed they were both caught in a strong current. After reaching shore, he said he last saw Konanki walking in knee-deep water before he vomited and fell asleep on a chair.
His attorneys have filed a habeas corpus petition, arguing he is being unlawfully detained. A hearing is expected on March 18, though the timing remains uncertain.
pemba
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Parents are careless. In video she seems to be drunk and staggering with Ribbe.
March 18, 2025Kal Gandikota
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She was 20. In both the USA and the region of India where her parents originated, the legal drinking age is 21. Additionally, consuming alcohol and visiting the beach can be considered unwise. There is a serious need to establish Indian-origin youth groups in all major cities of the USA, Canada, UK and so on, similar to organizations like the YMCA and YWCA.
March 18, 2025Kal Gandikota
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The tragic case highlights the need for increased involvement of Indian-American communities and the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to support and protect vulnerable Indian youth studying abroad. The cultural & mental maturity differences between countries like the United States and India often place young students, particularly women, in unfamiliar and risky situations without adequate support structures. The lack of strong community ties among Indian students in foreign countries can leave them isolated and ill-prepared to navigate unfamiliar social environments. By creating dedicated youth groups for Indian students in major U.S. cities, these students could receive crucial support such as cultural continuity, mentorship, safety guidelines, singles’ events and emergency contact networks, which could prevent similar tragedies in the future.
March 18, 2025