Indian-origin student goes missing during vacation in Dominican Republic
New York (PTI): A 20-year old Indian student has gone missing while on vacation in the Dominican Republic and US federal law enforcement agencies are working with authorities in the Caribbean country on the investigation in her disappearance.
Sudiksha Konanki is a citizen of India and a permanent resident of the United States. A student at the University of Pittsburgh, Konanki, was reported to be vacationing with five female college friends at a resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office said in a statement Monday.
Konanki was reported missing on March 6. The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office (LCSO) said it continues to assist and support the US federal law enforcement agencies working with the Dominican National Police and others to determine Konanki's whereabouts and what may have happened to her.
Konanki, a resident of Loudoun County, Virginia, was reported missing while vacationing on a spring break trip in Punta Cana and was last seen in the early morning of March 6. The ongoing investigation includes wide-ranging search efforts, along with a review of surveillance video and telephone records.
Interviews are also continuing with anyone who may have seen or been with Konanki before she went missing, the LCSO statement said. It added that the LCSO has filed for a Yellow Notice (worldwide police alert for a missing person) to be issued by INTERPOL.
A report in ABC News said three Dominican officials involved in the investigation told the outlet over the weekend that Konanki is believed to have drowned in the ocean.
The LCSO cautioned against drawing any unsubstantiated conclusions, saying there has been considerable public speculation about what may have happened to Konanki and who may be involved.
We caution anyone from drawing any unsubstantiated conclusions and are committed to ensuring that a thorough investigation is conducted before any conclusions are reached, it said.
The LCSO said it is hopeful for Konanki's safe return and we are committed to supporting this investigation and her family in every way possible.
The LCSO is working closely with federal partners at the US Department of State, FBI, DEA and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) as well as the University of Pittsburgh Police in support of the ongoing investigation by the Dominican National Police.
The report in ABC News quoted two police sources with knowledge of the investigation as saying that Konanki's clothes were discovered on a portable beach bed close to the beach where she went missing.
The police have found no evidence of violence, according to sources. The ABC News report said that after going to a nightclub on the night of March 5, Konanki and a group of people went to the beach at about 4 am local time on Thursday, March 6.
The report quotes sources as saying that the other women travelling with Konanki went back to their hotel at about 5:55 am, with security cameras capturing their return to their rooms.
A man stayed behind with Konanki on the beach, according to a Dominican Republic investigative police report. The man, whose name was not released, told police that he and Konanki went for a swim and got caught by a big wave, the police report said, according to the ABC News report.
The man is understood to have told the police that when he got back to the beach, he threw up and went to sleep on a beach bed. When he woke up, Konanki was nowhere to be seen, the report said.
Sources have said that the man, who was seen in security video coming back to his hotel room at 9:55 am, is not considered a suspect in Konanki's death.
Officials said Konanki's friends, who were with her around the time of her disappearance, were also questioned by the police and have not been charged with crimes, the ABC News report said.
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
