Ayesha Khan Detained by Mumbai Police

Actor Ayesha Khan, widely known for her appearance in the song ‘Shararat’ from the film Dhurandhar, was detained by the Mumbai Police on Wednesday, July 22, 2026. The detention occurred while Khan was attempting to participate in a protest held in solidarity with students demanding educational reforms and accountability regarding the NEET examination controversy. The demonstration in Mumbai was organized in support of student-led protests that originated in Delhi under the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) and have since spread across several cities.

Sequence of Events at the Protest Site

According to Khan, she arrived at the designated protest venue in Dadar at approximately 4:00 PM to show solidarity with NEET aspirants and students who had died by suicide. She was accompanied by her brother and several friends. Khan stated that upon her arrival, she was informed by a police officer that protests were not permitted at the location. When she asked, Bata dijiye dusra aur kya raasta hain (Please tell us what is the other option)?, the situation escalated before any further conversation could take place.

Khan alleged that her brother and male friends were detained by police before she had even begun to protest. She maintained that she, along with two female friends, had not raised any slogans or displayed placards. I didn't say a word. I didn't even start the protest. I was just standing because my brother, my male friends were detained and we were just standing on road, she described in a video statement posted to her Instagram Stories.

Forcible Removal and Documentation

The actress documented the incident through a series of videos recorded from both the police van and later the Worli Police Station. In the footage, Khan appears visibly shaken, stating, My hands are literally shivering right now. I have been detained in the police van just for standing on the road peacefully.

Ayesha Khan shared a statement from the police station after being detained from the protest site — Photo: Hindustantimes

As the confrontation continued, Khan reported that a group of approximately 15 police personnel—comprised of 10 men and 5 women—approached her. She described being physically pulled into a van by four to five female officers, despite her attempts to resist. She recounted the experience, stating, Unfortunately it took 4 police women to pull me in. But I ask the same question again, why? Did I make a noise? Did I even start a conversation? Detained me for what? For standing in the road?

In one video, a person recording the scene is heard yelling that the officers cannot push her, to which an officer responded that the individuals should enter the vehicle on their own. Khan continued to ask the officers why she was being detained, but she reported receiving no answer, noting, No answer, no accountability, nothing.

Detention and Public Response

Following her removal from the site, Khan and several others were transported to the Worli Police Station. Throughout the ordeal, she continued to document her frustration on social media, writing: Dragged, detained for standing in peace. Asked questions to all the police people present there on why we were being detained? But no answer whatsoever! Sadak pe khade rehna kabse crime ho Gaya?

Ayesha Khan Detained by Mumbai Police During Protest | Actress Speaks Out? | SBB

Khan’s detention has drawn attention as more public figures extend support to the ongoing nationwide agitation, which includes demands for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The incident has sparked broader discourse regarding the democratic right to protest, with Khan questioning the actions of the authorities: Why am I detained? Which law did I break? Forget about one’s democratic right and protecting it; instead, you are harming your own citizens, for what?

The protest movement, which gained momentum over several days, has been marked by calls for justice for NEET aspirants and examination irregularities. Khan concluded her statements from the police station by asserting that she stood for what was right, despite the circumstances of her detention.

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