Efforts on to bring bodies of 5 Indians killed in blast

They were among 11 killed in the blast at a Turkish restaurant in Doha. The blast tore through the restaurant at a mall next to a petrol station on Thursday. The Qatar government announced a probe into the explosion that injured 35 people. Four Nepal nationals and two people from the Philippines died in it. The Embassy is in contact with all concerned to bring the bodies, Ambassador to Qatar Sanjiv Arora informed New Delhi.

Of the 10 injured, three are from Nepal, three are from Pakistan, two are from the Philippines, one is from Egypt and one is from India, the Gulf Times reported.

Sreedharan to act as LS Secy-Gen

P Sreedharan, Secretary in the Lok Sabha Secretariat, will perform the duties of the Secretary-General for the time being, sources disclosed here on Sunday.

Speaker Meira Kumar, who had been away at her constituency Sasaram in Bihar for a week, passed orders to this effect soon after her return to the Capital Saturday evening following the retirement of the incumbent S Bal Shekar. He had succeeded T K Vishwanathan last September.

Sreedharan, an additional secretary, was incidentally promoted to the post of the secretary on February 28.

This elevation qualifies him for being considered for an appointment to the post of the secretary-general, which is on a par with the Cabinet Secretary.

Speaker Kumar has to consult the Prime Minister and the Leader of Opposition for making a regular appointment.