Modi, Rahul join in bipartisan salute

With hands folded and head bent, Prime Minister Narendra Modi walked around 40 coffins draped in Tricolour on Friday evening as he represented the nation in paying last respects to the CRPF personnel killed in the Pulwama terror attack.

The bodies of the slain troopers reached Palam airport in a special Indian Air Force plane in the evening. The bodies were received by Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the chiefs of the three services -- Army, Air Force and Navy -- and senior cabinet ministers, including Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, also paid their homage.

The bodies will be sent to the respective cities on Saturday.

Earlier, in Budgam, Home Minister Rajnath Singh carried the coffin of a slain soldier on his shoulder; the Director General of Police lifted the other side of the coffin. They were helped by other officials.

"I've requested state governments to extend the maximum help to the bereaved families. The morale has not taken a hit. We'll see this fight against terrorism to the end," said Singh.

As the country stood united and mourned the soldiers, the CRPF in its first official reaction said the "heinous attack will be avenged". "We will not forget, we will not forgive. We salute our martyrs and stand with the families of our martyr brothers..." tweeted the central force that works under the aegis of Rajnath Singh's ministry.

The grieving father of a CRPF soldier from Bihar who died has said he is ready to sacrifice his other son as well for the country. Ratan Thakur was among the 40 CRPF soldiers killed in the car bombing.