Person of interest identified in disappearance of Indian student in Dominican Republic: Report

Sudiksha Konanki, a student from India, goes missing in the Dominican Republic, sparking a joint U.S.-Caribbean investigation.

The U.S. authorities have identified a 24-year-old man as person of interest in the case of a 20-year-old Indian student who has mysteriously gone missing during a spring break visit to the Dominican Republic.

Sudiksha Konanki, a citizen of India and a permanent resident of the United States, 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 U.S. federal law enforcement agencies are working with authorities in the Caribbean country in the probe into her disappearance.

The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, Ms. Konanki's hometown in Virginia, said Joshua Riibe was seen with Sudiksha at a resort before she went missing, spokesperson Chad Quinn told USA TODAY.

Though Ms. Konanki's father has asked local authorities to broaden the investigation, Mr. Quinn said the case is not a criminal investigation, so Riibe is not considered a suspect in Ms. Konanki's disappearance.

"This particular individual may have been the last one to have seen her, so is of particular interest," Mr. Quinn was quoted as saying by the USA TODAY.

Mr. Quinn confirmed Riibe was a person of interest in the case, but cautioned against jumping to conclusions, the New York Post reported.