Meet the Mumbai cop Gen Z crowned 'pookie' during the CJP protest

When content creator Nidhi Pawar held up her phone to show Maharashtra Police constable Vinod Kalukhe a viral reel featuring himself, she probably wasn't expecting his reaction to become even more popular than the video. The officer's uncontrollable blush has now made him social media's latest ‘pookie’.The viral clip was shot at Mumbai's Shivaji Park. In the video, Pawar approaches Kalukhe and shows him a reel on her phone featuring himself participating in the now-viral "good girl, officer" trend. As the camera turns towards him, the cop breaks into a shy smile and blushes, leaving social media users charmed. Many were quick to dub him the internet's newest ‘pookie cop’. Watch the clip:Kalukhe's newfound fame, however, began a few days earlier when another creator, Shreya Chadda, filmed a reel during the Mumbai demonstrations held in support of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation. Using the unreleased Lana Del Rey audio featuring the lyric, "Everybody knows that I am a good girl, officer," Shreya recorded a playful interaction with the police officer. The reel quickly took off online, with viewers flooding the comments with affectionate messages for the constable, calling him "pookie" and praising his wholesome reaction.See the video here:Soon, other creators joined in. Videos of young protesters and content creators filming similar interactions with police personnel began appearing across Instagram. Using the same audio, they lip-synced, smiled at officers and playfully referred to them as "pookie", turning what started as a niche trend into one of the defining social media moments of the protests.The trend unfolded alongside the nationwide Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protests, which saw students and supporters gather in cities across the country demanding accountability. While demonstrations were marked by speeches, marches and sit-ins, social media added a distinctly Gen Z flavour to the movement. Protesters documented events through memes, trending audios, short-form videos and humorous interactions, making the movement both deeply political and seriously unserious.The protests culminated on Saturday with Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation, bringing days of demonstrations to a close. Even after the protests ended, moments like Vinod Kalukhe's bashful smile continue to circulate online, reflecting how Gen Z blended humour with activism.- EndsPublished By: Srimoyee ChowdhuryPublished On: Jul 26, 2026 18:12 IST