After telling her parents she was simply stepping out, a young woman instead boarded a flight alone from Hyderabad to Delhi.
Armed with crowdfunded money, a bag filled with medicines for fellow protesters and plenty of uncertainty, flight attendant Disha Sharma made her way to Jantar Mantar. Her journey soon gained traction on social media, eventually prompting filmmaker Vinod Kapri to offer her accommodation.
In a video posted on Instagram before boarding her flight, Disha admitted she was nervous about travelling alone.
"Hi guys, I just told my parents I am going out. I am taking a flight from Hyderabad to Delhi and I am damn scared," she said.
In the caption, Disha revealed that her trip to Delhi had been crowdfunded. She added that she had gathered medicines and other essential supplies to distribute among protesters assembled at Jantar Mantar over the NEET paper leak issue.
The video was later reposted on X by a user who wrote, "She has no contacts there but she thinks she will be okay. Please help her Dear Delhi, if you see her. Even I think, she will be okay. You go girl!!"
The post drew the attention of filmmaker Vinod Kapri, who extended a warm invitation.
"Treat my home in Delhi (Noida) as your home. If you need anything at all, just DM me here on X, or on Instagram, Facebook, or Messenger. It will be an honour to look after you as a father," Kapri wrote.
He further added, "I have a special affection for Hyderabad because I was born there. But, nevertheless, my home is open to every student who has come to Delhi with hope and conviction. Stay safe. God bless you."
Since reaching Delhi, Disha has continued sharing updates from the protest site. In one of her latest videos, she said she spent the night at Jantar Mantar alongside other demonstrators and planned to return home after taking part in the protest.
The demonstration at Jantar Mantar has continued to draw students from multiple states, with protesters demanding action over the alleged NEET paper leak. Videos from the protest have been widely shared on social media, attracting support from people across the country.
The movement, founded by Abhijeet Dipke, has been seeking accountability over alleged examination irregularities. Activist Sonam Wangchuk's ongoing hunger strike has further amplified attention on the issue.
The agitation, which began on June 20, is demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged irregularities in competitive examinations.
During the July 20 march towards Parliament, Delhi Police used batons and tear gas to stop protesters from advancing. The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) alleged that excessive force was used during the crackdown, while Delhi Police maintained that action was taken after protesters attempted to breach security arrangements.
