Mumbai protester Riya Ahir stands against police van for 40 minutes during solidarity protest

Riya Ahir, a 27-year-old, stood in the rain soaked hoodie with outstretched arms to block a police van from moving. She remained in front of the van for around 40 minutes. The vehicle was carrying detained protestors who had taken part in the demonstrations, soaked in the rain, in Mumbai which was held in solidarity with the Cockroach Janta Party's (CJP) agitation over alleged examination irregularities and the police crackdown on protesters in Delhi.

Ahir said she noticed the police vehicle carrying detained protesters when she was waiting for her friends before joining protests.

She questioned the policemen if they had the required paperwork to detain the people inside the van and when she wasn’t satisfied with the response, she stepped right in front of the van as she couldn’t keep pace with the vehicle alongside it.


"The driver revved the engine," Ahir recalled, but she refused to move until the detainees were freed. She added that the possibility of being detained or injured crossed her mind.

"I knew one thing," she said. "If I had started this, I had to end it,” added Ahir.

I did not back down

Ahir, speaking after the incident, said that seeing people being treated like criminals for protesting was unacceptable to her.

"They tried to accelerate and scare me, but I did not back down," Ahir said. "If I don’t do this, I will feel guilty for doing nothing,” she added.

The handling of the protests in Delhi was also questioned by her

"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,” said Ahir.

"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,” added Ahir.

She questioned the government's response, asking why Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan had not met the protestors if they were not allowed to march to Parliament

Younger generations were unwilling to remain silent

Ahir said her decisions was a response to wider social concerns and wasn’t limited to the issue of examination irregularities

"The system has failed us in so many ways—from senior citizens to animals," said Ahir. "This is about all the marginalised, right down to the Dalit sanitation workers who clean the city’s filth for a pittance," she added.

She pointed out that younger generations were unwilling to remain silent.

"We are not scared to raise our voice," said Ahir. "We have to start a wave that they cannot ignore," she added.

Victory beyond fear

The 27-year-old said her decision to block the police van was also a personal test of courage.

"I wanted to find out for myself because I feel that everyone carries some kind of fear within them. I wanted to know whether the saying 'there is victory beyond fear' is really true," added Ahir.

Ahir said the events that followed was not anticipated but believed the experience answered the question.

"I definitely didn't expect everything that happened, but I can now say that there is indeed victory beyond fear,” she added.

Ahir recalls the moments before the protests, stating that she had arrived intending to participate but was waiting for friends who never made it in time.

"I had come specifically to be a part of this protest. I was waiting for my friends, but they got delayed and couldn't make it. As I listened to the slogans, I thought to myself, 'Why am I wasting my time? I should be there,'" said the 27-year-old.

She added that Mumbai's traffic and parking challenges often make it difficult for people to reach protests on time.

Ahir said, "In Mumbai, traffic is a major issue, and finding parking is difficult. Because of that, you end up missing half the protest anyway..."

Strengthening of resolve

Ahir said that the police detaining her was a possibility.

She said, "I thought they might drag me away too, but then I looked around and realized there wasn't even any space left, so where would they have kept me?”

According to Ahir, the experience left her shaken after returning home.

"I won't deny that I was scared last night. I didn't fall asleep until 5.30 am. I was definitely worried about my family," said Ahir.

She added that her family's response strengthened her resolve.

"But when I told them that the police might come, they simply said, 'So what? We'll handle it. We'll get through it,'" said Ahir.

"When you have such a courageous and supportive family—one that stands up for what is right and speaks against what is wrong—it gives you immense strength. That kind of support gives you the confidence to face any situation," adds the 27-year-old.

Circulation and virality

Videos of Ahir’s confrontation with the police spread wide on social media, with many showing demonstrators raising slogans in the rain as Ahir stood in front of the police van.

A video showing protestors chasing a police van and opening its rear door from the outside, allowing detained demonstrators to climb out while the vehicle was widely circulated. Clips of residents cheering demonstrators from balconies despite the heavy rain, while another clip from Dadar showed protesters making way for children to reach a school bus also became viral.

Who is Rhiya Ahir?

The 27-year-old is an actor, model and entrepreneur according to her Instagram handle, which has around one lakh followers on the platform.

She has appeared in music videos, including Dilbara.

Mumbai police action amidst the city's protests

Mumbai saw political parties, activists and students staging protests across the city for the third consecutive day on Wednesday over alleged examination irregularities and the police action against protesters in Delhi.

According to Mumbai Police, the demonstrations were held at several locations, including Shivaji Park, Chaityabhoomi, Chembur and Shiv Sena Bhavan, without permission and said that 13 FIRs have been registered since July 18, with over 400 people booked on charges including unlawful assembly and violation of prohibitory orders

The police cite concerns over a possible breach of peace and public tranquillity whilst prohibitory orders banning the assembly of five or more people in public places remain in force across Mumbai from July 23 to August 6.