Daily wage labourer from Kannur wins ₹12 crore lottery

Porunnon Rajan, a daily wage labourer from Kannur, won the ₹12-crore Christmas-New Year bumper lottery in an amazing stroke of luck.

The lucky ticket, ST 269609 was sold by an agent named Saneesh from Wayanad district. Saneesh will be claiming ten per cent of the prize money as commission.

Rajan would receive around ₹6.2 crore after a tax deduction of 30 per cent, which amounts to ₹3.6 crore, and the agent’s commission of ₹1.2 crore.

Rajan (58), who is from an economically weaker background, is dwelling in Maloor (a tribal settlement). He has three children – Athira, Vijil, and Akshara.

“I never thought I’d win such a huge amount. Though the result was announced yesterday, I did not expect to be the winner. Today, my family and I cross-checked the result before submitting it at the bank,” he was quoted as saying by The Times of India.

Though Rajan first submitted the ticket at the service cooperative bank in Tholambra, officials directed him to submit it at the district bank in Kannur.

Rajan, who bought his ticket from Koothuparamba, is yet to decide on what he should do with the money. “First of all, I have to clear some liabilities. Then, there are many struggling and ailing people around me who need support. I should do something for them,” he said.