Paravur: A fish vendor here has won the Rs 70 lakh first prize of the Akshaya lottery.
The jackpot winner is Askar, a resident of Vaniyakkad, Paravur, in Ernakulam district.
The draw of the Akshaya lottery of the Kerala Lottery Department was held on Wednesday. It was on that day morning Askar bought the prize-winning ticket AV 814879 from Fahil, a fish trader and native of Tamil Nadu based at the Paravur market.
He has deposited the ticket at the State Bank of India branch at Cheriyapili.
Lady Luck favoured the fish vendor at a time when fish sales had hit rock bottom and he was finding it difficult to manage day-to-day requirements. He procures fish from the Munambam Harbour and sells in Paravur market daily.
Askar’s wife is a labourer and their daughter is married. His younger son is a ninth standard student at the Government Vocational Higher Secondary school at Kaitharam. Askar’s parents are also staying with him.
Askar plans to use a part of the prize money to pay back a Rs 8.5 lakh loan from a cooperative bank he had availed to build his house. Also he intends to buy 5 cents of land and a small house as the current property is vulnerable to sea erosion.
Askar says the remaining amount would be used for fish trade.
He used to buy at least six lottery tickets daily. Earlier he had bagged small prizes.
