The case is still under probe. However, police have clearly disapproved of the “absolutely absurd” “communal angle” being given to the incident on social media.
Around 600 healthcare workers across India lost their lives till last month, including over 300 doctors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Around 87,000 healthcare workers were infected with coronavirus across the country, and this includes more than 2,000 doctors.
Amid this, an image of a young woman is going viral on Facebook purportedly showing Dr. Vidhi, a medical professional from Ahmedabad, who succumbed to Covid-19.
A user named Altaf Thasaria shared the image with the caption, "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!!"
This post was shared over 55 times and several users shared condolence messages in the comment sections.
Many other Facebook users shared the same image with the same caption.
In our investigation, we found this claim to be false.
With the help of a simple reverse image search on Google, we found an article by a website named Newsbugz, sharing the biography of South Indian actor and model Samskruthy Shenoy. Born in Kerala's Kochi, Samskruthy ( has acted in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada movies).
The website carried the viral image of the actor along with some other images.
We checked the official Facebook page of Samskruthy and found that after the image went viral on Facebook, the actress herself clarified that the woman in the viral picture is her and she is not aware of a doctor named Vidhi from Gujarat. She wrote, "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. Hence kindly avoid forwarding messages with my photograph and also inform your source from where the message is getting forwarded. Thanks in advance, Sincerely."
A Facebook page "Indian Medical Students' Organisation" on September 9 carried the same viral text paying obituaries to one Dr. Vidhi. The information on Dr. Vidhi's death is attributed to Dr. Subham Kumari. IMSO claims to be an NGO, working towards addressing the problems of medical students in the country.
India Today 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."
In conclusion, the viral image of a woman purportedly showing Dr. Vidhi who succumbed to Covid-19 in the social media posts 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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