The mortal remains of the Central Reserve Police Force jawans killed in the audacious attack in Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir were brought to New Delhi on Friday evening in an Indian Air Force plane, officials said.
The bodies were received by Home Minister Rajnath Singh at the Palam technical area of Indira Gandhi International Airport.
Coffins wrapped in tricolour were neatly arranged in the hanger where senior officials of the force laid wreath in a solemn ceremony one by one, they said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Defence Minister Niramala Sitharaman, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Information and Broadcasting Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and tri-services chiefs paid their last respects to the martyrs.
After the dignitaries paid their homage, the prime minister, dressed in white with a dark-coloured shawl, arrived in the hanger and went straight to the podium where the coffins were kept, officials said.
He stood in silence for a few moments, before taking a round of the coffins with his hands folded and head bowed.
Gandhi paid homage to the slain security personnel by laying a wreath where the caskets carrying the mortal remains of the soldiers were kept at the Palam technical area.
Gandhi, who was standing alongside Army Chief General Bipin Rawat, politely asked the general to give way to him for paying his respects.
At least 41 CRPF personnel were killed and five injured on Thursday in one of the deadliest terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir.
A Jaish-e-Mohammad suicide bomber rammed a vehicle carrying over 100 kg of explosives into their bus in Pulwama district.
