NEWS / Parents of Indian-born student missing in Dominican Republic request death certificate

The parents of an Indian-born student who went missing in the Dominican Republic have asked the police to declare their child dead in order to be able to obtain a death certificate, according to a letter released by a police source March 17, and cited by Reuters.

Sudiksha Konanki, a 20-year old pre-med student at the University of Pittsburgh, went missing on her spring break in the Dominican Republic on March 6. She had arrived in the Caribbean nation 2 days prior and had been staying at an upscale hotel on the eastern coast. She was last seen making her way to the beach with a group of friends in the early morning.

According to the police letter, Konanki is believed to have drowned. The letter also notes that the individual last seen with the student is cooperating with the investigation and that there is no evidence of foul play.

Konanki’s disappearance sparked an Interpol alert, with the Indian embassy in Santo Domingo reportedly “extending all assistance in coordination with government authorities.”

The Dominican Republic is a popular tourist destination, hosting over 11 million visitors a year. Following the incident, the FBI urged spring break travelers to be “vigilant”.

“The investigation is ongoing,” Luis Abinader, President of the Dominican Republic was quoted by Reuters as stating, “We trust it will have a result in due time.”