Army launched a counter offensive against Pakistan along the LoC on Wednesday, a day after three Indian soldiers were killed, with body of one of them being mutilated in a cross-LoC attack.

The offensive comes hours after the Indian Army vowed "heavy retribution" to the attack on its soldiers.

#JKOps 3 soldiers killed in action on LC in Machhal. Body of one soldier mutilated, retribution will be heavy for this cowardly act @adgpi November 22, 2016

The firing is underway at the entire Line of Control including areas at Poonch, Rajouri, Kel and Machil, as per NDTV. Heavy mortars and machine guns are being used by the Indian army for this operation.

Brigadier, Northern Command, S Gotra said India Army launched a counter offensive along the LoC in retaliation to yesterday's offensive in Machhil sector of Kashmir. Indian Army posts are responding strongly and giving a befitting reply, Defence PRO Manish Mehta said.

After the gruesome attack, the Pakistani Army in Wednesday morning initiated indiscriminate ceasefire violation on Indian Army posts along the Line of Control (LOC ) in Bhimber Gali, Krishna Ghati and Naoshera sector in Jammu and Kashmir. The firing began around 9.00 am to which the Indian Army posts are responding strongly to the attack. Firing is presently underway.

J&K: Ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Manjakote sector of Rajouri district (visuals deferred by unspecified time) pic.twitter.com/pRWOTH20rm — ANI (@ANI_news) November 23, 2016

#WATCH: Ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Manjakote sector of Rajouri district in J&K (visuals deferred by unspecified time). pic.twitter.com/UJhlau06cq — ANI (@ANI_news) November 23, 2016

India lodged a strong protest with Pakistan against the killing and mutilation when the foreign office in Islamabad summoned deputy high commissioner JP Singh to condemn 'unprovoked ceasefire violations'. This was the second such incident in two months of an Indian soldier's body being mutilated.

Since the surgical strikes by India on terrorist launch pads along the Line of Control on September 29, there have been over 280 incidents of firing and shelling in Jammu and Kashmir by Pakistani troops, in which 26 people, including 14 security personnel, have been killed.

With agency inputs.