Dubai: An Indian national hit the $1 million jackpot during a raffle draw in Dubai on Tuesday, but unfortunately, he has yet to be informed of his fortune.
Santheesh Kumar is the 125th Indian national to bag $1 million (Dh3.6 million) since the Dubai Duty Free Millionaire raffle started in 1999.
The winner, however, could not be reached by raffle organisers as of press time, as his phone was switched off. His ticket was picked Tuesday morning by Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships' defending champion and world's number-three Elina Svitolina.
A source said this is the first time this has happened. Last year, an Indian national who won in another raffle, the Big Ticket in Abu Dhabi, was also unreachable for days, as he had accidentally broken his phone shortly before he was picked as the winner.
Two other Indian nationals also got lucky during the Dubai Duty Free's Finest Surprise Promotion draw on Tuesday.
Kayingil Mohamed Kutty, a 64-year-old expatriate from Kerala who is currently based in Sharjah won a BMW 640i Gran Turismo in Jucaro beige. Kutty runs a business in Sharjah and has been buying Dubai Duty Free raffle tickets for three years now.
Rejani Siby, an Indian expat based in Dubai, won a BMW S 1000 RR motorbike. Also from Kerala, Siby works as a school bus conductor.
“‘I am thrilled to have won a luxury motorbike with my first ever ticket in the Dubai Duty Free promotion and I thank the Dubai Duty Free team for making my day a very memorable one,’ Siby exclaimed.
