My friends called me a baddie: Mumbai woman who stopped police van to free protesters
Riya Ahir, a Mumbai-based model, stood in front of a Mumbai Police van at Shivaji Park until detained CJP protesters were released. The viral moment turned the first-time protester into a face of anger over the NEET paper leak and wider education system challenges.
"My parents loved it. They supported me. My friends called me a baddie," said 27-year-old model Riya Ahir, who shot to prominence after videos of her standing in front of a Mumbai Police van during a Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest to secure the release of detained protesters went viral.
Ahir, who joined the protest at Shivaji Park over the NEET paper leak, said she did not know any of the people inside the police vehicle. But when she saw protesters packed into the van, she decided to intervene.
The 27-year-old said she never imagined she would become the face of the demonstrations. She said she acted purely on instinct after seeing detained protesters, including women, being taken away. "I saw people stuffed inside the van. I tried to pull a woman out, but the police stopped me. So I stood in front of the vehicle and demanded that they be released," she told India Today TV.
In the viral video, Ahir was seen standing in front of a Mumbai Police van carrying a group of detained students during protests demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leak and other examination-related irregularities.
She refused to move as the police vehicle remained stationary until the detainees were released at Shivaji Park. She also alleged that the driver repeatedly revved the engine to intimidate her, but she stood her ground. Other protesters soon joined her in support.
The video of the confrontation has since gone viral on social media. Ahir said she had never participated in a protest before. She first visited Shivaji Park on July 21 after following the student movement in Delhi, but arrived after police had already begun detaining protesters. She returned the following day, when the now-viral incident took place.
Ahir comes from a defence family. Her father served in the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), while other members of her family have also served in the armed forces. "I don't know where I got the courage from, but probably courage is in my blood," she said.
Ahir said her own experiences with the education system motivated her to join the protest. A psychology student who could not complete her graduation because of work commitments, she is now pursuing English Literature through distance education at Mumbai University.
She claimed that despite paying for her course, she had received little response from the university and found many official contact numbers unreachable. "It is not just about the NEET exams. It is about the system," she said.
Apart from acting and working in Hindi theatre for the past 13 years, Ahir last year launched Riyasat, a venture that connects local artisans with buyers, inspired by the controversy surrounding Prada's Kolhapuri chappal design.
"My parents loved it. They supported me. My friends called me a baddie," said 27-year-old model Riya Ahir, who shot to prominence after videos of her standing in front of a Mumbai Police van during a Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest to secure the release of detained protesters went viral.
Ahir, who joined the protest at Shivaji Park over the NEET paper leak, said she did not know any of the people inside the police vehicle. But when she saw protesters packed into the van, she decided to intervene.
The 27-year-old said she never imagined she would become the face of the demonstrations. She said she acted purely on instinct after seeing detained protesters, including women, being taken away. "I saw people stuffed inside the van. I tried to pull a woman out, but the police stopped me. So I stood in front of the vehicle and demanded that they be released," she told India Today TV.
In the viral video, Ahir was seen standing in front of a Mumbai Police van carrying a group of detained students during protests demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leak and other examination-related irregularities.
She refused to move as the police vehicle remained stationary until the detainees were released at Shivaji Park. She also alleged that the driver repeatedly revved the engine to intimidate her, but she stood her ground. Other protesters soon joined her in support.
The video of the confrontation has since gone viral on social media. Ahir said she had never participated in a protest before. She first visited Shivaji Park on July 21 after following the student movement in Delhi, but arrived after police had already begun detaining protesters. She returned the following day, when the now-viral incident took place.
Ahir comes from a defence family. Her father served in the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), while other members of her family have also served in the armed forces. "I don't know where I got the courage from, but probably courage is in my blood," she said.
Ahir said her own experiences with the education system motivated her to join the protest. A psychology student who could not complete her graduation because of work commitments, she is now pursuing English Literature through distance education at Mumbai University.
She claimed that despite paying for her course, she had received little response from the university and found many official contact numbers unreachable. "It is not just about the NEET exams. It is about the system," she said.
Apart from acting and working in Hindi theatre for the past 13 years, Ahir last year launched Riyasat, a venture that connects local artisans with buyers, inspired by the controversy surrounding Prada's Kolhapuri chappal design.
"My parents loved it. They supported me. My friends called me a baddie," said 27-year-old model Riya Ahir, who shot to prominence after videos of her standing in front of a Mumbai Police van during a Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest to secure the release of detained protesters went viral.
Ahir, who joined the protest at Shivaji Park over the NEET paper leak, said she did not know any of the people inside the police vehicle. But when she saw protesters packed into the van, she decided to intervene.
The 27-year-old said she never imagined she would become the face of the demonstrations. She said she acted purely on instinct after seeing detained protesters, including women, being taken away. "I saw people stuffed inside the van. I tried to pull a woman out, but the police stopped me. So I stood in front of the vehicle and demanded that they be released," she told India Today TV.
In the viral video, Ahir was seen standing in front of a Mumbai Police van carrying a group of detained students during protests demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leak and other examination-related irregularities.
She refused to move as the police vehicle remained stationary until the detainees were released at Shivaji Park. She also alleged that the driver repeatedly revved the engine to intimidate her, but she stood her ground. Other protesters soon joined her in support.
The video of the confrontation has since gone viral on social media. Ahir said she had never participated in a protest before. She first visited Shivaji Park on July 21 after following the student movement in Delhi, but arrived after police had already begun detaining protesters. She returned the following day, when the now-viral incident took place.
Ahir comes from a defence family. Her father served in the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), while other members of her family have also served in the armed forces. "I don't know where I got the courage from, but probably courage is in my blood," she said.
Ahir said her own experiences with the education system motivated her to join the protest. A psychology student who could not complete her graduation because of work commitments, she is now pursuing English Literature through distance education at Mumbai University.
She claimed that despite paying for her course, she had received little response from the university and found many official contact numbers unreachable. "It is not just about the NEET exams. It is about the system," she said.
Apart from acting and working in Hindi theatre for the past 13 years, Ahir last year launched Riyasat, a venture that connects local artisans with buyers, inspired by the controversy surrounding Prada's Kolhapuri chappal design.
