Rhiya Ahir, a 27-year-old actor-model, becomes a widely discussed figure after a video of her standing in front of a police van goes viral amid student protests in Mumbai. Social media posts show her blocking the vehicle near Shivaji Park as demonstrators are carried inside. In reporting summarized across outlets, Ahir says she noticed the van carrying detained protesters around mid-afternoon and moved toward it because she believed the detainees were being taken away unnecessarily.
Ahir describes confronting police officers during the incident and pressing for an immediate release. She says the officers indicated the protesters would be freed only after the van travelled some distance, and that she saw this as insufficient explanation for continued detention. Although she says she felt frightened and was “shaking on the inside,” she reportedly stayed in front of the van until the detained protesters were released. Afterward, protesters thanked her and some supporters shared the moment as an example of civil resistance.
Ahir also uses social media to discuss broader social and political issues, and her public profiles identify her as an actor, model, entrepreneur and host. She runs a luxury clothing label, Rhiyasat, and has appeared in music videos and film projects.
