New Delhi: Imam Hussein, a migrant worker from West Bengal’s Malda who came to Kerala looking for work around five years ago, is now a rich man.
One of the five state lottery tickets he bought last week has earned him a bumper prize of Rs 70 lakh, local media reported.
Imam has been working in Edathanattukara town area of Palakkad district as a daily wager, and often buys lottery tickets, according to the reports.
Quoting him, The New Indian Express said he wants to build a house and open a shop at his hometown from the Nirmal lottery bumper prize money.
Palakkad Deputy Superintendent of Police VA Krishnadas told the news daily that Imam called up the police control room on Friday evening and sought help to get the prize money. He was subsequently brought to the Nattukal police station.
The police then contacted the co-operative bank where officials said they would collect the ticket on Saturday, the report said, adding that Imam spent the night at the police station as “he was afraid to part with his ticket”.
Allanallur Service Co-operative Bank secretary P Sreenivasan told the local media Saturday that the ticket would be remitted at the Kerala Bank. He said the amount would be credited to Imam’s bank account once his identification documents are received and processed.
In May this year, another migrant worker from West Bengal, Pratibha Mandal, had won a bumper prize. The winning amount of Kerala Karunya Plus lottery was Rs 80 lakh.
The construction worker, who had been living in Kerala for about four years, had bought a lottery ticket for Rs 40.
Mandal had not expected any prize but a lottery agent brought the news, which came as a “pleasant surprise”, the local media reported in May.