Faridkot labourer wins Rs 1.5-cr lottery, goes into hiding fearing extortion

A life-changing stroke of luck has brought both excitement and anxiety to a poor farm labourer family in Saideke village of Faridkot district in Punjab.

Nasib Kaur, a daily-wage worker whose name means luck or destiny, has won the first prize of Rs 1.5 crore in the Punjab State Lottery. But instead of celebrating, the family has gone into hiding, fearing extortion threats.

The family members have locked their home and shifted to an undisclosed location. Their phones, too, remain switched off, adding to the curiosity and concern in the village.

Interestingly, Nasib Kaur and her husband Ram Singh did not immediately know they had become crorepati. Lottery seller Raju, from nearby Sadiq town, discovered the winning ticket on December 6 and tried calling Ram Singh repeatedly. Ram Singh, who was in Rajasthan at the time, did not answer the calls for nearly a day.

Luck shines on Nasib Kaur

• Nasib Kaur wins first prize of Rs 1.5 crore in the Punjab State Lottery
• Her husband Ram Singh bought the Rs 200 ticket in her name
• Living in fear, the family has locked its home and shifted to a different location
• Once the family was traced, Raju accompanied them to the lottery office in Chandigarh to submit the winning ticket.

Ram Singh has been buying Rs 50 lottery tickets for the past two years and had never tried a costlier one. “I told him to try a bigger ticket this time,” said Raju. Ram Singh initially hesitated, as the family struggles to meet daily expenses, but eventually bought a Rs 200 ticket in his wife’s name--the one that won the jackpot.

The couple has three married daughters and an unmarried son, who also works as a farm labourer.

However, the sudden fortune has triggered fear instead of relief. Worried that the money might attract extortionists, the family members immediately vacated their home and switched off their phones.

To calm their fears, a police team led by the Faridkot SHO met the family today evening and assured them of protection. DSP Tarlochan Singh confirmed the visit and said the police were committed to ensuring the family’s safety.

“Nasib Kaur has won Rs 1.5 crore and the family is worried someone may threaten them. We contacted them today and assured them they have nothing to fear. If they receive any suspicious call, they must inform us immediately. The police stand with them,” he said.