Kerala auto-rickshaw driver, who was planning to go to Malaysia for work, wins Rs 25 crore lottery

Thiruvananthapuram: An auto-rickshaw driver, who had applied for Rs 3 lakh loan to go to Malaysia for work, on Sunday won a Rs 25 crore lottery in Kerala. Anoop was planning to go to Malaysia to work as a chef. He had applied for a loan, which was approved by the bank on Saturday. However, he won Rs 25 crore Onam lottery on Sunday following which he turned down the loan offer from the bank.    

Anoop bought the winning ticket - TJ 750605 - on Saturday, according to news agency PTI. But it was not his first choice, he said. Anoop did not like the first ticket he chose, so he opted for a different one which turned out to be a winner, the report said.

After hitting the jackpot, the auto-driver talked about the loan and his planned Malaysia trip. He said the bank called today (Sunday) regarding the loan but "I said I don't need it anymore. I will not be going to Malaysia either". He said he has been buying lottery tickets for the last 22 years and has won amounts from a few hundred to Rs 5,000 in the past.

Anoop said he was not expecting to win and that is why he did not watch the lottery results on TV. However, when he checked his phone, he saw that he had won. "I could not believe it and showed it to my wife. She confirmed that it was the winning number. But I was still tense, so I called a lady I know who sells lottery tickets and sent her a picture of my ticket. She confirmed that it was the winning number," he said.

Anoop, who is likely to get Rs 15 crore after deduction of all taxes, said his first priority would be to build a house for his family and clear all the accumulated debts. He also said that he may start something in the hotel field.