Ayesha Khan, known for her appearance in the song Shararat from Dhurandhar, has received public support from the Cockroach Janta Party after being detained during a student solidarity protest in Mumbai. The actor was taken into custody on July 22 while attempting to join demonstrations linked to demands for education reforms. Days later, she spoke about the incident through videos shared on Instagram, questioning why she and her friends were detained despite, according to her, not raising slogans or displaying placards. The CJP has now praised her for supporting the students’ cause, describing her stand as courageous and important.
CJP Backs Ayesha Khan
Ayesha Khan’s detention came amid a wider protest movement centred on student concerns and education reforms. Demonstrations had been taking place at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, with the Cockroach Janta Party and activist Sonam Wangchuk among those associated with the campaign.
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The movement intensified on July 20 with a “Sansad Chalo” march in Delhi, followed by solidarity demonstrations in other cities. The situation turned tense after police used lathi charges and tear gas to disperse protesters, drawing criticism from several quarters. In Mumbai, Ayesha was among those detained while attempting to join a protest. A week later, the CJP publicly acknowledged her support through a comment on her Instagram post.
The party wrote, “Thank you, Ayesha, for standing with students and supporting their voice. Your courage and commitment to their cause show the importance of standing up for justice and education.”
Ayesha Khan Recalls Detention
Following her detention, Ayesha shared videos from inside a police vehicle and later from Mumbai’s Worli Police Station. In the footage, she appeared distressed while questioning the officers about why she was being taken away.
According to Ayesha, she had arrived with her brother and friends to participate in a protest scheduled in Dadar at 4 pm. She said the group was informed that protesting at that location was not permitted. She alleged that police then took her brother and one of her friends into a van before detaining her as well.
Recounting the incident, Ayesha said, “At least 15 police personnel – 10 men and five women – came to my two other friends and me and told us we had to get into the van. I was simply asking why, as we were just standing on the road. We hadn't said anything, hadn't started anything, weren't showing any placards, and weren't shouting any slogans. We were just waiting for my brother and friends. There was no answer as to why we were being pulled in…no accountability, nothing. No one gave any answer, and they brought us far from Dadar to Worli…What about the people who used force on the ground, who pushed me, my friends, and my brother? What was our fault? Just being there?”
The actor added that the officers at the police station behaved politely, but she questioned the conduct of those involved at the protest site.
Actor Returns To Social Media
Ayesha has since resumed posting on Instagram, including a workout video shared a week after the detention. It was under this post that the CJP account left its message backing her involvement with the student movement.
The episode has placed the actor at the centre of a wider discussion around celebrity participation in protests and the treatment of demonstrators. For now, the CJP’s public message makes its position on Ayesha’s involvement clear, while the actor’s own account has kept attention on the circumstances surrounding her detention.
The matter has also added another entertainment-industry voice to the ongoing debate over the student protests and demands for education reforms.