"The Only Act Was Activism," Says Mumbai Model Rhiya Ahir; Files Complaint Over Online Abuse and Sl*t-Shaming

WITH THE CJP-LED PROTEST over the alleged NEET paper leak coming to an end on July 25, 2026, several faces of the protest have emerged across the country. From viral images from the Jantar Mantar protest to the Mumbai model who became the face of the student protest in Maharashtra, several individuals have come to symbolise the Gen Z-led protest that became a nationwide topic of discussion.

Model Rhiya Ahir, who went viral after a photograph of her stopping a police van carrying protesters was widely shared, was hailed for one of the most powerful images of the protest. Following the image's viral spread, Ahir claimed, according to recent reports, that she had been subjected to online abuse and harassment. Rhiya Ahir also stated that she has filed a complaint regarding the online trolling and abuse she has allegedly faced in recent days. 

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The 27-year-old claimed that, as part of the trolling, several photographs from her modelling days had been manipulated and circulated online in an attempt to malign her reputation. In a conversation with Indian journalist Barkha Dutt, Ahir said, "I was getting a lot of hate since yesterday. I have been getting a lot of hate as well, like '2 minutes of fame' or, you know, a lot of sl*t-shaming as well, for that matter." 

Mumbai Model Rhiya Ahir Files Complaint After Online Abuse

According to a report by NDTV, Ahir filed a complaint with the cyber police after facing constant harassment online. As per the complaint, she also submitted screenshots, URLs, and other evidence to support her claims that content was being disseminated online to malign her reputation. The police have launched an investigation into the matter and are currently attempting to identify the accused.

How Did Mumbai Model Rhiya Ahir Become Famous?

On July 22, 2026, just two days after the peaceful protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar turned violent, Ahir stopped a police van carrying protesters in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Her image, standing alone in front of the vehicle in the rain, with one hand placed on the van and the other holding her phone to record the incident, instantly became the talk of the town.

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Her attire also caught the attention of several viewers, reflecting Gen Z fashion. She was dressed in a grey hoodie and wore a cap. After the image went viral, Ahir said that her actions were driven purely by instinct. She told NDTV, "I could do it because I knew that the police were in the wrong. You must know your rights."

She also told Barkha Dutt, "I would like to say that whatever I did was not an act. People who take action will know that there was no acting in this. The only act was activism."

She further said that she has reiterated multiple times that the face of "this entire revolution and movement is the students who are no longer with us." The demands put forward by the CJP were accepted by July 25, 2026, with former Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigning from his post on the same day. 

(Proofread by Varsha Pant)

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