Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Family asks police to declare missing Indian student dead

Sudiksha Konanki, a citizen of India and a permanent resident of the US, was last seen on March 6 at the Riu Republic Resort in Punta Cana town.

Family asks police to declare missing Indian student dead

Sudiksha Konanki

THE family of missing 20-year-old Indian student Sudiksha Konanki has asked police in the Dominican Republic to declare her dead, according to US media reports.

Konanki, a citizen of India and a permanent resident of the US, was last seen on March 6 at the Riu Republic Resort in Punta Cana town. She has gone missing while on vacation in the Dominican Republic and US federal law enforcement agencies are working with authorities in the Caribbean country in the probe into her disappearance.


Despite an extensive search, her body has not been found.

Dominican Republic National Police spokesperson Diego Pesqueira said Konanki’s family has sent the agency a letter requesting a declaration of death, NBC News reported.

The Konanki family did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday (17).

Meanwhile, authorities in the Dominican Republic have confiscated the passport of the man who is the last person known to have been with Konanki, according to a source close to the investigation, CNN News reported.

Dominican Republic attorney general Yeni Berenice Reynoso interviewed Joshua Steven Riibe, over the weekend for more than six hours and the questioning is expected to continue with a local prosecutor, the source said.

Riibe is not considered a suspect in the case and has not been accused of wrongdoing.

It’s unclear why Riibe’s passport was confiscated. Since Konanki went missing in the early hours of March 6, Riibe, a 22-year-old from Rock Rapids, Iowa, and a senior at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, has remained under police surveillance in the Dominican Republic.

He has been taken to the police station for interrogation multiple times, his parents said in a statement. The Konanki family sent a formal letter to authorities Monday 17), acknowledging there is no suspected foul play involved in Konanki’s presumed death after she vanished from a Punta Cana beach in the early hours of March 6, New York Post reported.

The father and mother also wrote they trust the authorities’ probe into the case and noted Riibe, the last person to see the young woman alive, has cooperated with investigators, sources said.

Konanki’s parents in the same letter said that they understand that certain legal procedures must be followed for their request, but that they are prepared to comply with any necessary formalities or documentation, sources were quoted as saying by the ABC News.

Konanki, described by her father as an “ambitious” student who planned to study medicine, arrived in Punta Cana on March 3. She travelled with five other female students from the University of Pittsburgh, according to the Loudon County Sheriff’s Office.

Riibe said he first met Konanki in the hotel when he and his friend introduced themselves to her group. The two friend groups went together to the bar, where they drank until “someone suggested we go to the beach,” Riibe said in his interview.

In the early hours of March 6, she was seen on surveillance footage drinking with five women and two men in the Riu República Hotel bar. In the video, Konanki is seen wearing a white cover-up as she hugs and talks with her friends. Riibe is seen several feet away, bent over and stumbling on the lawn outside the bar.

Then, at 4.15am, a surveillance camera captured the group, including Konanki, entering the beach, police said.

Just before 5am, surveillance footage shows five women and one man leaving the beach, two sources close to the investigation told CNN. Konanki was not among them.

During his fourth interview with prosecutors, last Wednesday (12), Riibe described a harrowing attempt to save Konanki after they were jostled by the wave and she got tired of swimming.

Authorities in the Dominican Republic have said no one is considered a suspect in Konanki’s disappearance. US authorities have said it is a missing persons case and not a criminal matter.

(PTI)

More For You

maid

The service offers domestic help at customers' doorsteps within 15 minutes, charging 59 rupees (50 pence) per hour.

istock

India's Urban Company launches maid service in India for 50p an hour

URBAN COMPANY, a Mumbai-based firm known for providing services such as plumbing, electrical work, and beauty treatments, has introduced a new feature called "Insta Maids."

The service offers domestic help at customers' doorsteps within 15 minutes, charging 59 rupees (50 pence) per hour.

Keep ReadingShow less
Horizon scandal: Victim sues Post Office and Fujitsu

Hundreds of sub-postmasters were wrongfully convicted after faulty software said money was missing from their branch accounts. (Photo: Getty Images)

Horizon scandal: Victim sues Post Office and Fujitsu

FORMER sub-postmaster Lee Castleton has launched legal action against the Post Office and Fujitsu, becoming the first individual Horizon IT scandal victim to sue the two organisations.

According to recent reports, Castleton has instructed his solicitors, Simons Muirhead Burton, to issue proceedings at the High Court against the Post Office and Fujitsu on his behalf. Castleton is seeking compensation, alleging the civil judgement against him was obtained by fraud.

Keep ReadingShow less
Tulsi Gabbard

Gabbard, who arrived in India this week on a diplomatic visit, made the comments in an interview with Indian broadcaster NDTV on Monday.

Getty Images

Bangladesh rebukes Tulsi Gabbard for comments on attacks on minorities

BANGLADESH has criticised US intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard over her remarks on religious violence in the country, calling them unfounded and potentially harmful to sectarian relations.

Gabbard, who arrived in India this week on a diplomatic visit, made the comments in an interview with Indian broadcaster NDTV on Monday. When asked about violence in Bangladesh, she referred to the "long-time unfortunate persecution, killing, and abuse of religious minorities" and said these were areas of concern for the US government.

Keep ReadingShow less
JFK-Reuters

John F Kennedy, pictured minutes before he was shot dead by a sniper in 1963. (Photo: Reuters)

Reuters

Final set of JFK assassination files released by US

THE US National Archives has released the last batch of files related to the assassination of president John F Kennedy, a case that continues to fuel conspiracy theories more than 60 years after his death.

The release follows an executive order issued by president Donald Trump in January, which directed the unredacted disclosure of the remaining files connected to the assassinations of Kennedy, his brother Robert F Kennedy, and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.

Keep ReadingShow less
King Charles III’s aide Muna Shamsuddin’s journey from Kerala to Buckingham Palace

Muna's story is a testament to how talent and perseverance can transcend borders

Instagram/ muna.shamsuddin - Getty Images

King Charles III’s aide Muna Shamsuddin’s journey from Kerala to Buckingham Palace

In the intricate tapestry of the British monarchy's operations, certain individuals stand out for their unique contributions and backgrounds. One such figure is Muna Shamsuddin, a woman whose journey from the serene landscapes of Kerala’s Kasaragod to the bustling corridors of Buckingham Palace epitomises dedication, cultural fusion, and exceptional service. Her role as Assistant Private Secretary to King Charles III showcases her remarkable diplomatic career and her ability to bridge cultural divides at the highest level of governance.

Roots in Kerala

Muna Shamsuddin’s story begins in Kasaragod, a picturesque district in Kerala, India. Born to the late Dr Puthyapurayil Shamsuddin, a distinguished lawyer, and Shahnaz alias Sayedunnisa, Muna was raised in an environment that placed a strong emphasis on education and cultural heritage. Her father’s career as a legal expert took the family to several countries, including the USA, UK, and Saudi Arabia, before they eventually settled in Birmingham, UK. This international exposure not only broadened Muna's worldview but also cultivated a sense of adaptability and ambition that would later define her career. Her early experiences, combined with a multicultural upbringing, laid a solid foundation for her to navigate the complex world of international diplomacy.

Keep ReadingShow less