President Pratibha Patil presented the second highest peace-time gallantry medal to the two, who had killed the LeT's division commander, at an investiture ceremony here.
Rukshana Kauser and Ajaz Ahmed, the sister-brother duo who killed a Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorist after fighting him in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir in September last year, were today conferred the Kirti Chakra along with five defence personnel, three of them posthumously.
President Pratibha Patil presented the second highest peace-time gallantry medal to the two, who had killed the LeT's division commander, at an investiture ceremony here.
Patil also presented another 27 Shaurya Chakras, the third highest peacetime gallantry medal, a Uttam Yudh Seva Medal and 23 Ati Vishist Seva Medals.
Of the gallantry awardees, 13 were presented the medals posthumously.
The brother-sister duo, who are at present working as constables in Jammu and Kashmir police, had fought against three dreaded militants who had forced entry into their house.
When the militants attacked their family members, the duo snatched a weapon from a terrorist and killed him. The other two militants escaped from the spot.
Others to receive Kirti Chakra were Major Deepak Tewari of 14 Rastriya Rifles and Major Pushpender Singh of 28 Assam Rifles.
Meghalaya police constable Rel Deo Sangma, who died fighting the Liberation of Achik Elite Force militants in December 2008; paratrooper Shabir Ahamed Malik of Parachute Regiment, killed in action in Kashmir valley; and Sashastra Seema Bal sub inspector Bhopal Singh, who died fighting insurgents in Assam were awarded Kirti Chakra posthumously.
Patil also presented the Param Vishist Seva Medal to 13 senior defence officers including Strategic Forces Commander Lt Gen BS Nagal, ARTRAC Commander Lt Gen BS Jaswal, Western Air Command chief Air Marshal NAK Browne, Southern Naval Commander Vice Admiral KN Sushil, Director General Military Intelligence RK Loomba and Air Officer-in-Charge (Administration) Air Marshal JN Burma.
She also conferred Shaurya Chakra posthumously on an autorickshaw driver, Sanjay Bhaurao Shinde, who fought criminals who tried to rob a post office cashier of Rs3 lakh at Yavatmal in March 2008 and lost his life in the process. His wife Pratibha Shinde received the medal.
Shinde was among the 10 posthumous winners of Shaurya Chakra. Others are: Orissa police Lance Naik David Kerketta, ITBP Inspector Manoj Kumar Singh and constable Desha Singh, JAKLI's Lance Naik Subash Chander, Maratha Light Infantry's Naik Pawar Chandrabhan Bhikan, Parachute Regiment's Havildar Rakesh Kumar, Assam Regiment's Sepoy Rupam Gogoi, JAKLI's Rifleman Suraj Prakash, and Maratha Light Infantry Manoj Akash Singh.
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