This 20-yr-old Kashmiri killed a militant, shot another ARUN SHARMA SHAHDRA SHARIEF (RAJOURI)

J&K With 18-yr-old brother, Rukhsana Kausar chased away militants who entered her house

DISPLAYING rare courage, a 20-year old Kashmiri woman axed to death a armed Lashkar-e-Toiba commande and then, along with her 18-year-ol brother, snatched guns and opened fir on two other militants, wounding on and forcing them to flee. The inciden took place at Shahdra Sharief in the Ra jouridistrictofJammuandKashmirlat Sunday night. Police identified the dead militant as Uzafa Shah, a Pakistani national who had been operating in the Rajouri Poonch area for the last four years. He - was said to be the only Lashkar comn mander in the area who had survived.
r Rajouri SSP Shafqat Watali said pod lice found a blood trail, suggesting that e one of the militants who fled was e wounded. One even left behind his t weapon. The family handed over an - AK-56 and an AK-47 to the police. DIG e SDS Jamwal said the family retaliated when the militants made an attempt to molest the 20-year-old.

Three militants came to the Bhatti Mohalla in Upper Shahdra Sharief around 9.30 pm Sunday and went to the house of one Waqalat Hussain. They asked him to accompany them to the adjoining house of his elder brother, Noor Hussain.

WhenNoorHussaindidnotopenthe door,themilitantsbrokeopenawindow and entered the house. By then, Noor Hussain and his wife Rashida Begum had hidden daughter Rukhsana Kausar

beneath a cot. On not finding Rukhsana, the militants started beating Rashida. Son Aijaz Ahmed tried to pick up a lathi but one of the militants hit him.

It was at this point that Rukhsana emerged from her hidingplacewithanaxeandhit the Lashkar commander on his head. One of the militants opened fire, the bullet striking Waqalat Hussain in the arm.
Other family members jumped in, joining Rukhsana who was battling the militants.

Rukhsana picked up the Lashkar commander's gun, snatched another from one of the militants and tossed it to herbrother.Boththenopened fire, wounding one of the militants and forcing them to flee.

Rukhsana and Aijaz then ledthefamilytothepolicepost at Shahdra Sharief. To ensure that the militants stayed away, Aijaz fired in the air from the two AK rifles at regular intervals till they reached the police post where they handed over the weapons.

Though there have been incidents of civilians resisting militants who forced entry into theirhouses,itisthefirstcaseof a top militant being felled by a young woman. And this happened in an area where militants killed three policemen in an ambush a fortnight ago.

The killing of the Lashkar commander by Rukhsana was the talk of town today.
"Mubarak ho, yahi jehad hai (Congratulations, this is jehad)," said Maulana Amir Mohammad Shamsi, head preacher of Alhuda Jamia Masjid, Rajouri. Shahdra Sharief shrine administrator Inayat Hussain Baba said Rukhsana had sent an example for others to emulate.

A special police post has been set up at Noor Hussain's house to protect the family.
Appreciating the courage shownbyRukhsana and Aijaz, senior police officers have even offered them jobs as Special Police Officers.

-From IndianExpress