Viral Story About ‘Messy Old Lady’ on Mumbai Local Train is Fake

The post said the old woman had been an international hockey player, a model & an employee with the French Embassy.

Ladies compartment of a Mumbai local train.

(Photo Courtesy: Facebook)

The story about a “messy old lady”, who was met with judgemental stares in the women’s compartment of a Churchgate-bound local train for her haggard appearance, had gone viral on 25 July. The story came to light when Twitter user Dipika Naik posted that the old woman had been a hockey player, part-time model and an employee at the French Embassy in her younger days.

Naik’s post was shared by Twitter handle @EmpoweringGoa. Within minutes, Twitter started responding, expressing respect and awe for the old woman.

Turns out, the old woman has herself clarified that the “story” being widely shared is FAKE.

No Hockey Player or Model

When a reporter from Mid-day got in touch with the old woman, Ivy, and asked her about the post shared by Naik that was going viral, she denied the story.

Referring to the claim that she was an ‘international hockey player’, Ivy said that the only hockey she had played was with a friend in Byculla who headed a team called ‘wild cats’.

She also denied ever saying that she was a “part-time model”.

As for the part in the story that says she worked with the French Embassy as a “bilinguist”, she said:

I’ve never worked with any embassy. In fact, when I was young, I used to work for a private company.

Ivy told <i>Mid-day</i>

The post also mentioned that she travelled from Virar to Bandra every day during peak hours to teach underprivileged children.

However, Ivy told Mid-day that although she did travel daily, it was to visit church.

The only truth to the post is the part about how she had remained very strong after the passing of her husband and their only daughter.

Responding to the Mid-day reporter, Deepika, who had posted Ivy’s story said:

(With inputs from Mid-day)