India, July 23 -- Rhiya Ahir, a 27-year-old model, had not planned on becoming one of the defining faces of the protest at Shivaji Park on Wednesday.

Ahir was walking from Kohinoor Square in Dadar towards Shivaji Park when she noticed a police van packed with detainees. The sight immediately disturbed her. "The van was stuffed from the front to the back. There was no space to stand," she said.

Believing the protesters were being taken away by the police unnecessarily, she rushed towards the vehicle and stood in front of it. "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."

What followed wa...