Medical shop worker turns crorepati in Kerala

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The suspense about the winner of the Rs 7-crore Onam bumper lottery has been broken. The overnight crorepati is Ayyappan Pillai, 63, of Attingal,  who  lives along with his wife Ambilly in a small tiled house located on an 18-cent plot behind Subramaniam temple, Keezhattingal.

Pillai,  who usually buys tickets, notes down the number and cross-checks it with shops,  had not done so this time. He woke up on Saturday hearing  the news of  the bumper prize  in Attingal. Reminding one of a scene in the   Malayalam movie ‘Kilukkam,  he cross-checked the number and was stunned to find himself  so hugely rich.

He has been working  in a traditional medical shop at Keezhattingal and had never imagined that a  lottery ticket would  fetch him a fortune.

A day earlier, Thankaraj who owns an agency near KSRTC bus stand, Attingal,  had identified that someone who bought the tickets from his shop had won the bumper lottery.

Thankaraj  dedicated the '70 lakh his agency would  get to his sick old employee, Sreedharan, who actually sold the ticket. The only suspense that remained for the residents of Attingal town was about the winner.

“I have four children—two sons and two daughters-- and all of them are married.  I plan to make a house for each of them,” Mr Pillai said.  His sons are in the  Gulf. Mr Pillai plans to continue with his job as usual from Monday.