Rajouri(Jammu and Kashmir): Rukhsana's joy knew no bounds when she heard that her life will soon be turned into a Bollywood movie. This is not the first time that Rukhsana Kausar from the Kalsi village of the Shahdara Sharif area in the district is being awarded for her decade-old, extraordinary bravery. Around 13 years ago, Rukhsana had single-handedly killed a militant with an axe and injured one other with a gunshot.
Though the film on Rukhsana's bravado is not officially announced yet, Director Asif Ali and filmmaker Ashiok Chauhan have met with her in these regards. They also indicated that Rukhsana's role will be played by actress Shraddha Kapoor. The film will likely be announced by the end of this month, before which Rukhsana herself will reach Mumbai by December 20 for documentation and other legal purposes.
Rukhsana has received several accolades and awards for her act of bravery over the past 13 years and still continues to receive appreciation from the leaders and the common masses alike. Prime Minister Narendra Modi among many others also took the time to applaud Rukhsana's bravery in his speeches.
As she recalls the night of September 27, 2009, Rukhsana says she still remembers everything crystal clear. "There is a dense forest near our house in Kalsi. It was around 9:30 pm in the night when the militants started knocking furiously at our door. When my father did not answer it, they started entering our house forcefully through windows," Rukhsana said.
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"My mother hid me and my brother immediately under a cot, while my father Noor Hussain was left alone to fight those men. Seeing my father in trouble, I could not sit tight and just watch him suffer. I was trying to figure something out as I saw blood oozing from my father's mouth. As I was thinking, I saw an axe lying around. I somehow mustered the courage to get a hold of the axe and attacked one of the militants on his head," she added.
The militant, later identified as Commander Abu Usama, fell unconscious, alarming the others with him. But Rukhsana did not stop there -- she kept her courage intact and tried to fight the remaining militants too. "I got a hold of the AK-47 rifle of the slain militant and fired shots with it. One more militant was injured, and the remaining ran for their life after that," says Rukhsana, further expressing gratitude for the recognition of her courage and bravery.
She also maintained her presence of mind in a stressful situation and reached the police station immediately to alert the police about the incident. The police could launch prompt action following the complaint, thereby succeeding in catching the culprits. The slain militant was later found to be the chief of the terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
Rukhsana has been felicitated and appreciated several times, even as she holds a collection of awards adorned to her for her bravery. She says she keenly looks forward to her story reaching more people and to seeing how they receive it.
