R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

HARYANA

Ambala
Farmer dead: Balwinder Singh, a farmer of Danipur village, died while spraying pesticides in his field on Friday. Sources said Balwinder fell unconscious while spraying pesticides. He was taken to hospital, where he died.

2 die as van rams into tree: Two youths, Brijesh and Vinit, were killed and six others injured when a van rammed into a tree on the Ambala-Hisar highway near Ambala City on Friday. The deceased and the injured belonged to Ajaib village in Rohtak district.

Chandigarh
Workers’ honorarium doubled: Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Friday doubled the monthly honorarium of ASHA workers from Rs 5,00 to Rs 1,000 with effect from September 1. The decision would benefit 19,110 ASHA workers and put an additional burden of about Rs 40 crore on the state exchequer.

Panipat
3 booked for obscene MMS: Three persons have been booked for allegedly sending obscene MMS clips to a married woman of Mohalla Amir Kachari. The 24-year-old victim alleged that Mukesh Kumar, Lalit Kalra and Sumit alias Sonu sent her obscene MMS clips on her mobile. The police have registered an FIR against the accused.

Sonepat
Ashram founder cremated: Bhakt Hans Raj, founder of Shri Ram Sharnam Ashram and a renowned religious preacher, who died on Thursday, was cremated on Friday at his ashram near Gohana. The pyre was lit by his son Krishan Vij and daughter-in-law Rekha Vij.