Mangaluru (The Hindu): Representatives of Defence Service Corps (DSC), an extended arm of the Indian Army, on Friday handed over the uniform of Subedar Ekanath Shetty to members of his family at Guruvayanakere in Belthangady of Dakshina Kannada.

Mr. Shetty (51) was on board IAF AN-32 aircraft that went missing over Bay of Bengal on July 22 and since then remained untraceable. He had joined the Indian Army in 1985 and retired in 2009 as a Junior Commissioned Officer. After six months, he joined the DSC and was posted in the Andamans.

Surendra, a retired Indian Air Force officer, now with DSC, handed over the uniform to Jayanthi Shetty, wife of Ekanath, in the presence of other family members. Dakshina Kannada Superintendent of Police Bhushan Gulabrao Borase and others had accompanied the uniform contingent from Mangaluru to Guruvayanakere in the morning. Mr. Borase told The Hindu that handing over the uniform and other belongings was a formality to finalise the family pension of Ekanath Shetty. As the family believes that Ekanath Shetty is still alive, the authorities did not want to disturb their belief. He and other district police officials accompanied the contingent as a mark of respect to personnel serving the Armed Forces of the country, the SP said. Assistant Commissioner of Puttur Revenue Sub Division K.V. Rajendra was also present.

The contingent was received at Punjalakatte by zilla panchayat member Thungappa Bangera, ex-servicemen association president Kanchod Gopalakrishna, Madantyar Gram Panchayat president Gopalakrishna and others. Shakuntala Shety, Puttur MLA, consoled the family and promised help from the government. The Subedar’s brother-in-law Satish Shetty was present.