By IANS,
Dubai : An Indian taxi driver in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), whose hopes of going home were dashed after he was faced with the prospect of paying 3,000 dirhams ($816.7) in traffic violation fines, got the surprise of his life when he came to know that he had won 100,000 dirhams ($27,225.7) in a raffle draw.
Manoj Kumar Mambra was under tremendous pressure for the past few days when he came to know that he had to clear 3,000 dirhams for traffic violations if he was to avail of the annual leave from the taxi company, where he was employed, in the emirate of Ajman.
“My flight was September 4 and I cancelled it. When I was informed about the traffic fines, I was shocked and unhappy,” he told reporters here.
“I got into my taxi, took out my wallet and kept gazing at the passport size photograph of my son who was born after four years of marriage.”
Mambra had come to work in the UAE a year back immediately after the birth of his son.
Then he got the call July 30, which changed his life. He had won 100,000 dirhams in the Postcard Millionaire raffle promoted by Emirates Post.
“When I received the verification call from TMC (The Millionaire Company), I could not hold back my tears,” he said.
“I am looking forward to building a house in Malappuram (in Kerala). My wife and son deserve the house since most of their needs have been sidelined in the process of taking care of all other family needs,” Manoj said.
Launched in 2004, the Postcard Millionaire packs are available in all Emirates Post offices.
Priced at 30 dirhams ($8.16), each pack guarantees the customer a prize. In order to ensure that customers get value for money, all postcards in the pack are postage paid – all one has to do is inscribe a message and drop it in the post box to anywhere in the world.
Mambra had bought 70 such packs before buying his winning pack July 28.