Who is Rhiya Ahir? Indian model who blocked police van amid students protest

MUMBAI: One of the defining images to emerge from the ongoing student protests in India shows a Mumbai Police van packed with detained protesters—and a young woman standing directly in its path.

Rhiya Ahir, a model, actor and entrepreneur, has become one of the most recognisable faces of the demonstrations after she blocked a Mumbai Police vehicle near Shivaji Park and demanded the immediate release of the students inside.

Videos and photographs of Ahir confronting the police quickly went viral on social media.

Convinced that the protesters were being detained unnecessarily, she ran towards the vehicle and stood in front of it to stop it from moving.

Viral social media videos show that a bystander unlocked the police van and freed the detained students.

“I couldn’t help myself. Their chants pulled me towards them,” she said.

According to Ahir, the confrontation soon became heated. She said police officers told her the detainees would be released after the van had travelled some distance, but she refused to accept the explanation.

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“If you’re going to release them anyway, release them now,” she recalled telling the officers.

Ahir further alleged that police failed to provide a clear justification for the detentions.

“They didn’t say anything. They knew that they were in the wrong,” she claimed.

Despite appearing calm in the widely shared videos, Ahir said she was frightened throughout the encounter.

“When I confronted them, I was shaking on the inside. I knew that what I was doing was right,” she said.

According to Ahir, she remained in front of the van until the detained protesters were released. She said several students thanked her afterward, while some jokingly referred to her as “a baddie.”

Ahir said she intervened because she feared the students could be formally detained and face criminal cases if they were taken away.

“I knew that if they were taken away, they would be detained and FIRs would be registered against them. That’s something I had to step in for. I just knew that, as a citizen, I would fail if I didn’t do anything about it,” she said.

Known on Instagram as Rhiya Ekousiya, Ahir works in acting, modelling, hosting and entrepreneurship. She is the founder of the luxury clothing brand Rhiyasat and has appeared in several dance projects. Her latest music video, Dilbara, was released in February 2025.

Her intervention has drawn widespread attention on social media, with many users praising her actions and describing her as a symbol of courage and civil resistance.

In another video shared online, Ahir said that while she understood police officers were carrying out their duties, she believed they had a responsibility to act more responsibly.

“I understand that they are doing their job, but they are not doing it responsibly. If they don’t behave responsibly, we must take responsibility for our citizens. What they did with students in Delhi was wrong, and they have to own up,” she said.

The incident occurred amid a broader police crackdown on the ongoing student protests.

According to Mumbai Police, 13 cases were registered and around 400 people were booked between July 18 and July 22 in connection with the demonstrations. The cases involve allegations including unlawful assembly and violations of prohibitory orders.