A model named Rhiya Ahir has become an overnight social media sensation after a video of her stopping a Mumbai police van with one hand during a student protest went viral, prompting her to speak to the press about what drove her to act.
The Viral Moment
The image emerged from a rain-soaked protest at Shivaji Park in Dadar on July 22, where Ahir was seen standing before a police van that was reportedly carrying detained young protesters, halting it with a raised hand.
The moment was widely shared across social media, including by celebrities, turning her into an overnight symbol associated with the ongoing student agitation linked to the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protests over the NEET-UG paper leak issue.
Who is Rhiya Ahir?
According to a report by The Hindu, Ahir, 27, also known online as Rhiya Yadav, is the third of four siblings and comes from an Army family — her father, a retired serviceman, has backed her participation in the protests.
The newspaper reported that she wears multiple hats: besides modelling, she is an artist and dance enthusiast, runs her own business, and is currently working on securing copyright for a screenplay she has written. She has said she intends to keep raising her voice on issues she cares about, even outside political platforms.
In Her Own Words
Speaking to ANI about the incident, Ahir said, "I did not think about others in that moment, I just thought about the people in the van. There were cops in there and those cops, who I dealt with, were really respectful towards me. I was respectful towards them...My parents have really supported me in this. I am a little scared after this thing blew up, that wasn't my intention."
"I am just a citizen of the nation trying to do right by myself and everyone around me. I haven't slept two nights because what has happened with other students who are standing for this movement...Govt please speak to your own officials as well and quash those FIRs. People are still struggling. So, if you are confusing them, whether they should stand for their right - you are forcing us to be against you. We are not your enemies. Be friends with us," she added.
Growing Profile Amid Protests
Ahir's remarks to ANI reflect the anxiety that has followed her sudden rise to attention, even as she has continued to publicly back the students' cause.
Her act of stopping the van has been held up online as an example of ordinary citizens stepping in during the wider unrest that has gripped Mumbai and other cities over the paper leak controversy, with multiple FIRs and detentions reported among protesters in recent days.
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