New Delhi (PTI): Heartrending scenes were witnessed at the cremation of senior IFS official Venkateswara Rao when his 11-year-old son Karthick broke down while performing the last rites of his father who was killed in the suicide attack at the Indian Embassy in Kabul.

The class eight student wept inconsolably as he came forward to lit his father's funeral pyre. Tears gushed down his face even as his uncle, near relatives and his father's colleagues tried to console him saying that his father "had laid down his life for the cause of the nation".

Rao's wife Malathi, special instructor at a Sanskrit School in the capital, and her daughter Amulya, also a school student, also had their eyes wet throughout the more than one hour-long funeral ceremony held at Brar Square Cemetery at the Delhi Cantonement.

The senior diplomat as well as Brigadier Ravidutt Mehta, who were both victims of the Kabul terrorist bombing on Monday were cremated with full state and military honours. The funerals were attended by Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma, Army Chief Gen Deepak Kapoor and personal representatives of Defence Minister A K Antony.

A hush of gloom descended among the large number of diplomats and other officials present at the solemn ceremony.

Despite a drizzle, a large number of mourners turned up at the cemetery to pay homage to the officer, who fell victim to Monday's attack.

Senior officials from the Ministry of External Affairs and the diplomats expressed their grief at the funeral where a wreath was laid on behalf of President Pratibha Patil, who is also the supreme commander of the country's armed forces.

Earlier, Brigadier Mehta was also given a funeral with full military honours. His family members were visibly heart-broken but remained composed.

"We bid farewell to a fine soldier," Kapoor told the grieving family, recalling his association with Mehta during his stewardship of the Udhampur-based Northern Command.

Men of the Rajputana Rifles gave a 21-gun salute and buglers sounded the last post as the late Brigadier's son and flight lieutenant Udit Mehta performed the last rites.