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Mumbai: The image of a young woman in a grey hoodie, standing unflinchingly with her arms stretched out to stop a police van amid heavy downpour, has become one of the defining moments of Mumbai’s protests in solidarity with the Cockroach Janta Party’s agitation over the NEET paper leak.

As the CJP and students’ protests over examination irregularities raged in Delhi, youngsters took to the streets of the financial capital on Wednesday, July 22, in support, condemning the alleged police brutality against agitators during the ‘Sansad Chalo’ march.

In the widely shared video of the demonstration, the woman is seen stopping a police vehicle carrying detained protesters, while fellow demonstrators shouted slogans that brought traffic to a grinding halt on the busy road.

Speaking to local reporters, the woman asserted, “While the police are doing their job, they are not doing it responsibly. If no one is taking responsibility, we will take responsibility for our citizens.”

“I am not a student, my father is not a farmer, nor am I. I am not a Dalit or belong to the OBC community, but what they did to the students (in Delhi) is wrong. They have to own up to their actions,” she said, questioning if the protesters in Delhi were not allowed to reach the Parliament, what has stopped Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan from meeting them at the protest site.

The woman, identified as Rhiya Ahir, is an actor, model, and an entrepreneur, as per her Instagram bio. She has around a lakh followers on Instagram and has been seen in music videos. She featured in the video song ‘Dilbara’.

“I was going to the protest, when the protest came to me,” Ahir told The Indian Express, adding that she didn’t think of anything in that moment, but just knew to make her voice heard.

“I didn’t think of anything in that moment, I just jumped in front of the van. I just knew that I had to make my voice heard and use my body to let the police know this was not right. So, I just did the Bombay thing, stood in front of the van and held my arm out, and told them to stop.”

Ahir had tried reasoning with the police before standing in front of the van. She questioned why the protesters were being detained, whether a warrant was issued, and attempted to pull a detainee out from the van doors as it moved forward.

When none of her actions worked, she became the obstacle herself. She admitted she was scared while stopping the van, despite the internet labelling her as fearless. “If they run over, God help them. But even if they do, I would rather be a martyr than a helpless citizen,” Ahir thought in the moment.

Soon, the 40-minute standoff followed while it poured. Her action drew a large crowd that began chanting, “Jab jab Modi darta hai, police ko aage karta hai (Whenever Modi is afraid, he pushes the police to the forefront.)”

A few of the protesters joined her in blocking the vehicle while others documented the incident. Realising that the traffic would begin piling up, Ahir left the police with only two options. “They would either have to go over me, or let the detainees go,” she said. Eventually, the detainees were released.

She emphasised that the protest was fighting for everyone’s rights. “We are fighting for everyone’s rights here. From you to me, to my 9 year old little brother, my parents, the farmers, the Dalits, Adivasis, the environment, for our kids, everyone. All of us have been failed by the system in some way. We are stronger united, so now is the time to come together for this fight.”

(With PTI inputs)

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