A video of a young woman standing in front of a Mumbai Police van during protests over the alleged NEET paper leak has gone viral, making her one of the most recognisable faces of the demonstrations. The incident took place at Shivaji Park in Dadar as police detained protesters participating in rallies organised in support of the nationwide agitation.
The woman, identified as model Rhiya Ahir, is seen standing directly in the path of a police vehicle with one hand raised, refusing to move as the van attempted to leave. Protesters gathered behind her, raising slogans against the police action and the Union government. The visuals, recorded during heavy rain, have been widely shared across social media platforms.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
The protests in Mumbai were organised to express solidarity with demonstrations led by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), which has been demanding accountability over the alleged NEET paper leak. Protest gatherings were held at multiple locations, including Shivaji Park, Chembur, Juhu and Powai.
In another incident that surfaced online, detained protesters were seen exiting a moving police van after a passer-by reportedly opened the vehicle’s rear door. A separate viral clip also appeared to show a police officer warning detained protesters of severe legal consequences if they returned to the protest site. The authenticity of the video and the statements has not been independently verified.
Meanwhile, political support for the student movement continues to grow. Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray have jointly announced a march in Mumbai on July 26 in support of students protesting against the alleged examination paper leak.
The protests have become one of the biggest student-led demonstrations in recent months, with viral videos from Mumbai drawing nationwide attention and intensifying the debate over the handling of the NEET controversy.
