Here are details of the cross-LoC raid by Indian Army commandos to avenge Rajouri attack

New Delhi: Nearly a year after the Indian Army conducted a ''surgical strike'' along the Line of Control (LoC) dismantling several terror camps operating there, its brave officers executed yet another ''localised tactical operation" in the evening of December 25.

The raids, which were conducted across the Line of Control (LoC), resulted in the killing of three Pakistani soldiers.

The Indian Army "short-distance raid" was described as a "selective targeting across the LoC" by highly-placed sources in the country's defence establishment.

The operation was also seen as the Indian Army's "tit-for-tat" reply for the attack carried out by the Pakistani troops in the Keri sector of Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district on December 23, which resulted in the killing of one Major and three Army jawans.

If the sources are to be believed, the Indian Army's raid of Monday was almost an "exact replica" of the raid conducted by the Pakistani soldiers on December 23.

The Pakistani troops who suffered casualties were from 59 Balooch Unit of the Rakhchakri Battalion of the Rawalkot Brigade. 

According to sources, the Pakistani troops came under heavy fire from a select team of the Indian Army which resorted to heavy shelling on a temporary post and a patrol party belonging to the hostile neighbouring country around 6 pm. 

Heavy firing continued from both sides for hours even as the raid ended and the situation continued to remain tense.

Members of the Indian Army's 'Ghatak' team first triggered an explosion nearly 200-300 metres across the LoC and then opened heavy shelling on the 8-10 member strong Pakistani patrol party on Monday evening. 

According to sources, around four Indian Army troops conducted this raid.

Sources said that the Pakistani patrol party was probably in the area to lay a counter-ambush. "We were able to locate and target them," a highly-placed source said. 

"The Indian Army will continue to exploit such fleeting opportunities," WION quoted source as saying.

According to the initial assessment, three Pakistani troops were probably killed and one badly injured in the raid by the Indian Army, but intelligence reports indicate that the toll could go up.

Sources also claimed that this was a ''localised tactical operation' conducted by Indian Army Commanders on the ground and that the decision to conduct this raid was taken at the Brigade/Battalion level.