Mumbai model behind viral student protest video files complaint against online trolling

Mumbai model Riya Ahir, whose image of blocking a police van during a student protest went viral, has filed a police complaint alleging online harassment, defamation and obscene trolling.

In a complaint filed with the Maharashtra Cyber Cell, she claimed that several social media users and content creators targeted her with abusive comments, slut-shaming and misleading allegations.

She also expressed concern that her photographs could be morphed and misused. Ahir came into the spotlight after stopping a police van carrying detained protesters at Dadar in Maharashtra. Mumbai Police confirmed that her complaint is being verified and a decision on registering an FIR will be taken after examining the allegations.

Riya Ahir is a 27-year-old model who found herself at the center of the protest after intervening when she saw protesters being taken away by the police. She said she believed the detainees were being removed unnecessarily and immediately rushed towards the vehicle.

Ahir has a strong presence on Instagram, with nearly one lakh followers, and has also appeared in music videos. Her most recent appearance was in the music video 'Dilbara'. She was walking from Kohinoor Square in Dadar towards Shivaji Park when she noticed the police van filled with detainees.

"I couldn’t help myself," she said. "Their chants—they pulled me towards them. I was like, if I’m going for the protest, it starts from here. They’re taking them away, and I cannot let that happen."

The incident took place during the NEET paper leak protest in Mumbai, where demonstrators raised concerns over the alleged NEET UG 2026 paper leak and demanded accountability. During the protest, police detained several participants and placed them inside a police van.