- Viral video shows woman stopping police van with protesters.
- Rhiya Ahir stood firm for 40 minutes, fearing detention.
- She urged government to withdraw FIRs against student protesters.
- The 27-year-old actor gained followers; expressed anxiety.
A photo of a woman standing in front of a police van with one hand outstretched to stop it from moving has taken the Internet by storm. A video of the incident also went viral, showing her pulling out her phone with her other hand and recording the police van from her perspective. Although the now-viral video is only a few minutes long, she reportedly remained in front of the police van for nearly 40 minutes after she could no longer keep pace by walking alongside the moving vehicle.
She was walking from Kohinoor Square in Dadar towards Shivaji Park when she spotted the police van carrying detained protesters and decided to intervene, Hindustan Times reported.
‘They Tried To Accelerate And Scare Me’
Rhiya Ahir said she feared the police might detain her as well, adding that the driver “revved” the engine, according to The Times of India report. “They tried to accelerate and scare me, but I didn’t back down,” she was quoted as saying by TOI.
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She added, “I thought they might drag me away too, but then I looked around and realised there wasn’t even any space left inside the van. So where would they have kept me?”
‘I’m A Little Scared’
In an interview with ANI, Rhiya admitted that she has been feeling anxious since her photo went viral. “I didn’t think about anyone else in that moment. I was only thinking about the people inside the van. The police officers there were very respectful towards me, and I was respectful towards them,” she said.
She continued, “My parents have been very supportive. I am a little scared after everything blew up – that was never my intention. I am just a citizen trying to do the right thing for myself and everyone around me. I haven’t been able to sleep for two nights because of what has happened to the students who are standing up for this movement.”
Rhiya also appealed to the government to withdraw the FIRs filed against the students.
“Government, please speak to your officials and quash those FIRs. People are still struggling. If you make them question whether they should stand up for their rights, you are forcing us to stand against you. We are not your enemies. Be friends with us,” she said.
Who Is Rhiya Ahir?
Rhiya Ahir is a 27-year-old actor and model who has appeared in several music videos, including Dilbara. Her follower count increased from one lakh to 1.77 lakh after her photos and videos went viral.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: abplive.com
