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| - Fact Check: Actor's picture shared on social media as doc who died of Covid-19
A picture of a young woman is circulating on social media with the claim that she is Dr Vidhi, a medical professional from Ahmedabad, who succumbed to Covid-19. India Today Anti Fake News War Room (AFWA) has found that the viral picture is of a South Indian actor and model.
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India Today Fact Check
The woman in the picture is South Indian actor Samskruthy Shenoy. However, a medical student named Vidhi did succumb to Covid-19 in Ahmedabad.
The Covid-19 pandemic claimed close to 600 healthcare workers across India till last month, including over 300 doctors. Around 87,000 healthcare workers were infected with coronavirus across the country, and this includes more than 2,000 doctors.
Amid this, a picture of a young woman is circulating on social media with the claim that she is Dr Vidhi, a medical professional from Ahmedabad, who succumbed to Covid-19.
The claim along with the picture says, "Sad news from GUJRAT. #RIP_CORONA_WARRIOR. Very Shocking !! We lost a young gem. Dr Vidhi. Gynecologist, from #Ahmedabad. Succumbed to Covid 19. Great loss to the family. May god gives strength to the bereaved family to bear this colossal loss . RIP. Now a days daily INDIA is loosing Young doctors !! Still no one is taking seriously!!! Kindly be safe doctors and peoples!!"
India Today Anti Fake News War Room (AFWA) has found that the viral picture is of South Indian actor and model Samskruthy Shenoy. Born in Kerala's Kochi, Samskruthy ( has acted in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada movies.
The archived versions of similar posts can be seen here, here, here and here.
AFWA probe
India Today reached out to the actor's office, which confirmed that the woman in the viral post is Samskruthy, and the picture was taken in 2015 during the shoot of Malayalam movie "Anarkali".
On September 14, Samskruthy put up a clarification on her official Facebook page, saying the woman in the viral picture is her and she is not aware of a doctor named Vidhi from Gujarat.
"Dear Friends, This is me, Samskruthy Shenoy / Samy, aged 22, from Kochi. Some miscreants are spreading this photograph as that of a #Coronawarrior Dr. #Vidhi from Gujarat, who succumbed to #COVID19. It is kind of viral on Facebook and WhatsApp. I have no idea about Dr. Vidhi. If such a person has really passed away due to Corona, my Pranaams to the departed soul. But the person in the photograph is me" she said.
Dear Friends, This is me, Samskruthy Shenoy / Samy, aged 22, from Kochi. Some miscreants are spreading this photograph... Posted by Samskruthy Shenoy on Sunday, 13 September 2020
Using reverse image search, we found the actor had herself posted the picture on Facebook on June 15, 2016, with the caption, "One more old snap from a different angle".
We also found the same picture uploaded on multiple websites as that of Samskruthy.
Who is Dr Vidhi?
We found that the same viral text, paying obituaries to one Dr Vidhi, was posted by Facebook page "Indian Medical Students' Organisation" on September 9 with a picture of a doctor in PPE kit checking upon a patient. The information of Dr Vidhi's death is attributed to one Dr Subham Kumari.
One more old snap from a different angle Posted by Samskruthy Shenoy on Tuesday, 14 June 2016
IMSO claims to be an NGO, working towards addressing the problems of medical students in the country. AFWA contacted Dr Subham Kumari, a friend of Dr Vidhi and a member of IMSO, who said, "Vidhi was a medical student from Bihar. She'd come to Ahmedabad for an internship. On September 9, she succumbed to Covid-19."
Hence, it is clear that the woman in the social media post is Samskruthy, a South Indian actor, and not Dr Vidhi. However, it is true that Vidhi, a Covid warrior, did succumb to the virus in Ahmedabad.
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