Interpol Issues Alert for Missing Indian-Origin Student Sudiksha Konanki

Interpol has issued a global alert for Sudiksha Konanki, a student who went missing in the Dominican Republic. Last seen on March 6, she was vacationing with friends. Joshua Riibe, a senior from St. Cloud State University, is a key individual in the investigation. Her family seeks a thorough inquiry into her disappearance, questioning initial drowning assumptions.

The International Criminal Police Organization, commonly known as Interpol, has issued a global alert for Sudiksha Konanki, an Indian-origin student who has gone missing in the Dominican Republic. The 20-year-old, a resident of Virginia and a student at the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania, disappeared during a spring break trip to the Caribbean on March 6. The Interpol yellow notice, typically issued for missing persons or victims of kidnappings, provides physical details about Ms. Konanki, including her height, hair color, and distinctive ear piercings.

Ms. Konanki was reportedly vacationing with five female college friends at a resort in Punta Cana when she was last seen. Surveillance footage indicated that she was walking towards the beach with her friends. While others returned to the hotel, she was seen subsequently with Joshua Riibe, a senior from St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, who is now recognized as a ‘person of interest’ in the case.

Joshua Riibe has confirmed their presence together on the night Ms. Konanki went missing. A transcript from NBC News reveals that he stated they were “in waist-deep water, talking and kissing a little” before a strong wave pulled them away from the shore. Mr. Riibe, who possesses lifeguard training, struggled to maintain buoyancy and managed to get to shallower water with Ms. Konanki before she disappeared.

Following the incident, Mr. Riibe noted that after he last checked on Ms. Konanki’s wellbeing, he lost sight of her and subsequently passed out on a beach chair. Surveillance footage captured him returning to his hotel unaccompanied several hours later, raising further questions regarding Ms. Konanki’s fate.

Despite initial assumptions by Dominican authorities concerning a potential drowning, Ms. Konanki’s family has pressured investigators to consider other scenarios, including the possibility of abduction. They express concern over the fact that Ms. Konanki left her belongings, including her phone and wallet, with her friends, which is atypical behavior for her. Ms. Konanki is known to have lived with her family in Loudoun County, Virginia, and is studying biology and chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh.

The disappearance of Sudiksha Konanki has sparked an international alert from Interpol, highlighting the need for thorough investigation. The involvement of Joshua Riibe raises significant questions, especially given contrasting narratives about the events of that fateful night. Ms. Konanki’s family appeals for a comprehensive inquiry beyond initial assumptions of drowning, emphasizing the unusual nature of her disappearance and the circumstances surrounding her belongings. The case remains under close scrutiny, requiring further investigation to uncover the truth.

Original Source: www.ndtv.com