Riya Ahir, a 27-year-old model, thought the detainees were being taken out unnecessarily, so she immediately ran towards the car to stop it.
A young woman in a gray jacket, standing stiffly with her arms spread to block a police car, has emerged as one of the most striking images from the Mumbai protests in support of the Cockroach Janta Party’s agitation over NEET paper leak.
As the CJP-led protest against examination irregularities continued in Delhi, young protesters in Mumbai took to the streets on Thursday to express their solidarity and protest against what they described as alleged police actions during the ‘Sansad Chalo’ rally.
Who is Rhea Ahir?
Rhea Ahir, a 27-year-old model, found herself at the heart of the protest after she intervened when she saw police taking away protesters. She said she believed the detainees were moved unnecessarily and immediately rushed toward the car.
Ahir has a strong presence on Instagram, with nearly a thousand followers, and has also appeared in music videos. Her last appearance was in the video for the song “Dilbara”.
She was walking from Kohinoor Square in Dadar towards Shivaji Park when she noticed that the police van was full of detainees, according to an earlier HT report.
Read also | The woman who blocked a Mumbai Police car in a video that went viral is 27-year-old model Rhea Ahir.
“I couldn’t help myself,” she said. “Their chants – they pulled me towards them. I was saying, if I’m going to participate in the protest, it starts from here. They’re taking them away, and I can’t let that happen.”
Ahir said the police told her that the detainees would be released after the car traveled a certain distance, but she refused to accept that explanation.
Read also | ‘I’ll put powder in a bag’: Inside viral video of Mumbai cop threatening student protesters
“They didn’t say anything. They knew they were wrong,” Ahir said.
“I was shaking inside”
Although videos from the scene showed her standing still in front of the truck, Aher said she was nervous throughout the encounter. “When I faced them, I was shaking inside,” she said.
Despite this fear, she chose not to move. “I knew what I was doing was right.”
Read also | The Union Minister says the government had approached the CJP 4 times and was ready to talk and find a solution
Ahir claimed that the police initially tried to move the car forward. “They tried to speed it up a little bit, but it didn’t budge me,” she said.
I remained in front of the truck until the detained demonstrators were released.
In a video he posted 16 hours ago, Ahir said: “Holding a peaceful rally to summon the Prime Minister is like… What are you living on 1947? If you want to summon the Prime Minister, you hold a big fat Indian wedding.”
In another video, shared on Wednesday, Rhea Ahir talked about her attire and the precautions she was taking before joining the protest.
Ahir said she chose her outfit keeping the circumstances of the protest in mind. She showed her hat and said, “Here’s a hat. If you put a stick on my head, you’re protecting me from that.”
CJP protest in Mumbai
Mumbai Police have filed 13 FIRs since July 18 over the ongoing protests, citing charges including unlawful assembly and violating prohibitory orders. About 400 people have been booked in connection with these cases, news agency PTI reported.
Reportedly, demonstrations were held at multiple locations, including Shivaji Park, Chaityabhumi, Chembur and Shiv Sena Bhavan, although no official permission was given for the rallies.
Police also imposed lockdown restrictions across Mumbai from July 23 to August 6, banning gatherings of five or more people in public places.
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