Eight North-Easterners have so far lost their lives in the battle of Kargil. The death toll may go further up as both the battalions of Naga Regiment are now engaged in a fierce battle with the Pakistani intruders in Batalik and Drass sub-sector.

According to a latest report, at least 10 jawans of the Naga regiment have made supreme sacrifice while capturing the North Bump. Details of this battle are still awaited.

The North-Easterners, who have been killed in the ongoing battle so far are: Gunner Uddhab Das and Capt. Jintu Gogoi of Assam, Capt. Clifford Nongrum of Meghalaya, Lt. N. Kengurusie, Gangchung Konyak, Raikha Yimchunger of Nagaland and Kaleshwor Kom and Nicholas Moyon from Manipur.

Apart from making supreme sacrifices, the North-Easterners are also extending all possible help to the armed forces.

In Arunachal Pradesh, a public rally was organised to express solidarity with the jawans fighting in Kargil. The rally was organised at Khonsa, headquarters of the Tirap district. People from all walks of life braved heavy rains to participate in the rally.

The emotionally surcharged crowd shouted slogans like 'Jai jawan, jai kisan', and 'Pakistan murdabad'. The people of the area also organised a donation drive in aid of the families of the Kargil victims and the injured.

On the other hand, the death and destruction of the war have failed to deter the Assamese youth from joining the Army in large numbers. The Greater Barnagar area in Assam continues to provide fertile recruitment ground for the Army like in Punjab.

The first casualty from Assam in the Kargil conflict, Gunner Uddhab Das belonged to the same northern belt that runs parallel to the Indo-Bhutan border.

Even as his funeral was on with full military honours at Anchali, hundreds of youth present there vowed to join the Army. Uddhab Das' close friend Narayan Das and Bishnu Das said that given an opportunity they would also join the Army immediately.

"We can skip the detailed training after a crash course and head straight for Kargil," they said.Apart from eight dead, many Army jawans, belonging to the North-East region have suffered injuries.

Tozole of the Naga Regiment has lost his hands in the war. Hearing the sound of shelling, Tozole in a reflex action tried to cover his face with his hands. But, unfortunately, the shell burst in front of him and badly damaged his hands. After brief treatment at the Base Hospital in Delhi, Tozole has been sent to Pune by the Army to get artificial limbs.