Missing IAf plane: Subedar from Dakshina Kannada was onboard

Mangaluru: The family of Subedar K Ekanath Shetty, 51,  in Guruvayankere, Belthangady Taluk, was taken by surprise on hearing that he was on the Indian Air Force plane that went missing.

The Subedar had informed his wife Thursday night that he would fly to Port Blair after a leg surgery in Chennai only on July 30, said his shocked nephew Shashiraj Shetty.

The family was therefore shocked on being told by officials  that he  too was among the 29 on board the IAF aircraft, which went off the radar 16 minutes after taking off from the Tambaram air base at 8.30 am . It was scheduled to land at Port Blair at around 11.30 am.

"As uncle had himself informed us  that he was  going to Port Blair much later, we were confused by the news, but had no choice but to  believe it," Mr Shashiraj told the Deccan Chronicle.

Villagers, relatives, officials and politicians like MP, Nalin Kumar Kateel and MLA, Vasanth Bangera visited the subedar's house to offer their moral support to his distressed family.

Mr Shetty's wife, Jayanthi, who went into shock after receiving the call informing her about his presence on the missing plane from senior military officials, had to be hospitalised, but has now been discharged.

From Guruvayankere , about 50 kms from Mangaluru, the subedar was in his village for 10 days till July 9 to attend a family function. Having served in various places like Srinagar and Siachen,he  was  part of  the Indian Peace-keeping Force in Sri Lanka.

On retiring from the  Army , he  joined the Defense Service Corps. He has two children, Ashitha, doing her BCom and son Akshay, an  SSLC student.