Family members of Yekanath Shetty (48), who was one among the occupants of the ill-fated IAF AN-32 aircraft that went missing over the Bay of Bengal from Chennai on Friday, were inconsolable as they received the news about his presence in the aircraft here on Friday.
The family, residing at Guruvayanakere House, Kuvettu village, in Belthangady taluk of Dakshina Kannada district, received calls from the Army on Friday around 4 p.m. stating that Mr. Shetty was on the aircraft, said Jayanthi Shetty, his wife. Ms. Shetty told reporters that her husband left home on July 16 after a 10-day leave.
He called home on Thursday night saying that he would not be going to Andaman (where he is posted presently as junior commissioned officer with the Defence Service Corps), as the doctor has scheduled an operation for him on July 30. Mr. Shetty had come home on leave for the same reason, she said.
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Ms. Shetty, who collapsed at one point unable to withstand grief, was admitted to Belthangady government hospital.
Mr. Yekanath’s father, Krishna Shetty, too served in the armed forces. The family, hailing from Kutharpadavu near Mangaluru, moved to Guruvayanakere about 11 years ago after building a house there. Mr. Yekanath served the Army’s 7 MEG Regiment for 24 years and rejoined the service corps after his retirement, his relative Shashiraj Shetty said.
While his daughter Ashita is studying B.Com II year at SDM College, Ujire, his son Akshay is in Class 10. Ms. Shetty works as a teacher in SDM High School, Ujire.
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