Crorepati Overnight! Luck Shines on Kerala Auto Driver As He Wins Rs 12 Crore in Onam Lottery

Interestingly, he picked out the particular prize-winning ticket as the number sounded 'fancy' to him. When the results were announced, ticket bearing serial number TE 645465 emerged as the lucky winner.

Kochi: The fate of an Kochi auto driver changed overnight after he hit the jackpot and was adjudged the winner of the Rs 12 crore Thiruvonam Bumper Lottery instituted by the state government. Jayapalan PR, a resident of Pooppanaparambil House, Maradu in Kochi, became the winner of this year’s Kerala Onam bumper lottery when the result was announced on Sunday.

Notably, Jayapalan is an auto driver at the Ambedkar Junction auto stand in Maradu. On September 10, he bought the Rs 300 lotery ticket from Meenakshi Lucky Centre, an agency which has brought luck to many. Interestingly, he picked out the particular prize-winning ticket as the number sounded ‘fancy’ to him. When the results were announced, ticket bearing serial number TE 645465 emerged as the lucky winner.

“I bought the prize-winning ticket from Meenakshi Lotteries near Statue Junction on September 10 as I felt that it was a fancy number,” Jayapalan told TOI.

The auto driver would take home over Rs 7 crore of the total bounty, after deduction of tax.

When asked what he would do with the prize money, Jayapalan told TOI, “I have some debts that I want to pay off. I also have two ongoing civil cases in the court which I wish to clear. I want to provide good education to my children and financially support my sisters.”

His family comprises of his 95-year-old mother Lakshmi Bai, wife Mani, two sons Vyshakh and Vishnu. While Mani works as a sweeper in Chottanikkara homeo hospital, Vyshakh is an electrician and Vishnu is a homeo doctor.

(With Agency inputs)