“Clothes Discovered on Secluded Beach Chair Spark Fears in Ongoing Search for Missing Student in the Caribbean”

In a world where vacation adventures often come with a side of thrill and joy, the story of Sudiksha Konanki sends a shiver down the spine. This 20-year-old student from the University of Pittsburgh vanished without a trace during what should have been a sun-soaked getaway in the Dominican Republic. As authorities dive deep into the timeline of events surrounding her disappearance, one can’t help but wonder—what really happened when the cameras stopped rolling? With law enforcement relying on CCTV footage and witness accounts, they turn their scrutiny toward Joshua Riibe, identified as a ‘person of interest’ after allegedly being the last to see her alive. How does one remain calm when all eyes are on them in such sensitive times? As the investigation unfolds, the search for Sudiksha continues to evoke a mix of hope and dread, leading to questions about safety and trust while traveling abroad. For a complete rundown of the critical developments in this ongoing saga, check out the full details! LEARN MORE.

Police in the Dominican Republic have been trying to piece together the last movements of missing US student Sudiksha Konanki.

Relying on CCTV footage and witness accounts, authorities have been building up a timeline of key events as the search for the 20-year-old tourist entered its second week.

Authorities in the US state of Virginia have named Joshua Riibe, who is believed to be the last person to have seen her alive, as a ‘person of interest’ in the case.

However, the student, 22, is not considered a suspect by officials in either the Dominican or the States and he has not been accused or charged with a crime.

The International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) issued a global alert in wake of Sudiksha’s disappearance, which described her as 1.6m tall, with black hair, brown eyes and sporting three piercings on her right ear.

This yellow notice is for missing persons such as victims of kidnappings or ‘unexplained disappearances’.

The case is still being treated as a missing persons investigation rather than a criminal one, although officials have not yet ruled out foul play.

Here’s a full rundown of all the events which took place in the lead up to Sudiksha going missing.

Sudiksha Konanki vanished during a trip to Punta Cana with her pals (Sudiksha Konanki/Facebook)

Monday, 3 March

Sudiksha and five of her friends from the University of Pittsburgh arrived in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic for a spring break trip on 3 March.

The student, who studies biology and chemistry, checked into the five-star RIU Republica Resort along with her pals, authorities said.

Sudiksha lives with her family in Chantilly, Virginia and is a permanent resident in the US, as well as being a citizen of India.

Wednesday, 5 March

Two days into the trip, the hotel that the group were staying at suffered a power outage at 1.27am on 5 March, according to the hotel’s operator RIU Hotels & Resorts.

Service was ‘restored to 70 percent’ by around 3am, while power returned at full capacity on 6 March at about 2.13am.

Thursday, 6 March

3.30am

Surveillance footage captured Sudiksha and her friends drinking in the lobby of her hotel in Punta Cana while being joined by two males, according to reports.

One of these men was Joshua Riibe, a senior at Minnesota’s St. Cloud State University, while the other is said to be his friend.

3.55am

The group then moved to another bar, Bar Macao, at around 3.55am, where they were seen consuming more beverages, officials said.

A short time later, they again changed locations.

4.17am

Her and Riibe were seen strolling together as the group headed to the beach in CCTV footage (11Alive)

Sudiksha was seen walking towards the beach from the bar with seven others, while appearing to embrace Riibe as they strolled.

Despite the power outage, the cameras caught the ‘last recorded image of her’, according to the hotel’s operator.

RIU Hotels & Resorts said: “The last recorded image of her was at 04:17 AM, when she was seen leaving a hotel bar in a group heading towards the beach.

“RIU staff acted appropriately upon being notified of the disappearance, fulfilling their duty to inform the authorities, with whom, as expected, cooperation has been absolute.”

A red flag warning of high waves was posted at the beach cautioning visitors not to enter the water, according to Fox News.

4.55am

Five women and one man were seen leaving the beach at around 4.55am in the early hours of 6 March on CCTV, CNN reported.

It appears as though Sudiksha and Riibe decided to stay, with the young man later telling investigators they went into ‘waist-deep water’ while ‘talking and kissing a little’.

8.55am

A man believed to be Riibe is seen leaving the beach area at around 8.55am before heading into the hotel at around 9am.

He is said to have been barefoot and shirtless.

4pm

Sudiksha’s friends reported her missing to hotel staff at 4pm on 6 March, prompting police in the Dominican to launch an ‘exhaustive search by sea, air, and land’ the following day.

5.43pm

The missing student’s father, Subbarayudu Konanki, filed a missing persons report with the Loudoun County sheriff’s office.

He and his wife later travelled to Punta Cana to aid the search efforts.

Sudiksha’s father has urged police to consider ‘multiple options, like kidnapping or abduction’ rather than presuming she may have drowned (Facebook)

Friday, 7 March

During the search, Sudiksha’s sandals and a sarong-style beach cover up were reportedly found on a sun lounger.

Local news outlet CDN shared images of what may be the student’s belongings.

Her father later told WTOP-FM that his daughter’s phone and wallet were left with her friends, which ‘is unusual because she always carried her phone with her’.

He also urged authorities to consider ‘multiple options, like kidnapping or abduction’ rather than working under the assumption that Sudiksha might have drowned.

Tuesday, 11 March

The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office announced that a US man in his 20s was a person of interest in the case.

Riibe’s family claims that he was detained in his hotel room ‘under irregular conditions’ and ‘subjected to extensive questioning’ ‘without the presence of official translators or legal counsel’ ‘despite his full willingness to cooperate’.

His relatives said in a statement to WTAE: “He has remained in his hotel room under police surveillance and has been repeatedly taken to the police station since March 6, where he has been interrogated for long hours.

“This situation has raised serious concern within his family, which has led us to retain legal counsel to initiate legal actions ensuring his safety and the protection of his rights throughout this process.”

Riibe’s passport was then confiscated by Dominican authorities on 14 March, his lawyers said.

Sunday, 16 March

Riibe visited the beach with investigators, his father and his lawyer on Sunday (16 March) and was seen gesturing towards the water, according to NBC.

He told the outlet: “I’m just trying to help them out. The ocean is a dangerous place.”

The investigation into Sudiksha’s disappearance remains ongoing.