'Pookie Cop' Goes Viral: Meet Mumbai Policeman Who Won Gen Z Hearts During CJP Protest (WATCH)

Maharashtra Police constable Vinod Kalukhe became an internet sensation, dubbed the "pookie cop," after being featured in a viral Instagram trend. The trend, using a Lana Del Rey audio, began during CJP student protests. Kalukhe's popularity surged further when a video captured his shy reaction to his own fame.

When content creator Nidhi Pawar approached Maharashtra Police constable Vinod Kalukhe with her phone, she wanted to show him a viral Instagram reel featuring him. What she didn't anticipate was that his reaction would become an even bigger hit on social media.

The interaction, filmed at Mumbai's Shivaji Park, captured the constable blushing and smiling shyly after seeing himself in the now-popular "good girl, officer" trend. His genuine and bashful response instantly won over viewers, who soon crowned him the internet's newest "pookie cop."

Check the viral video here:

Kalukhe's online popularity, however, had begun days earlier during the nationwide Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protests. Content creator Shreya Chadda had shared a reel featuring a light-hearted exchange with the police officer while covering demonstrations demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

The video used an unreleased Lana Del Rey audio featuring the lyric, "Everybody knows that I am a good girl, officer," which quickly became the soundtrack for the viral trend. Viewers flooded the comments section with affectionate messages, describing the constable as "pookie" and praising his calm, wholesome demeanour.

Check the viral video here:

As the trend gained traction, more creators joined in. Young protesters and influencers began recording similar interactions with police personnel, using the same audio clip, lip-syncing to the lyrics and playfully referring to officers as "pookie." What started as a single viral reel soon evolved into one of the defining social media trends associated with the protests.

The online phenomenon unfolded alongside the CJP demonstrations, where students and supporters gathered in several cities seeking accountability. While the protests featured marches, speeches and sit-ins, social media gave the movement a distinctly Gen Z identity through memes, trending audio clips, short-form videos and humorous content.

This blend of activism and internet culture resonated with a younger audience, allowing participants to document the protests in a way that was both politically engaged and uniquely entertaining.

The demonstrations concluded on Saturday following the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Yet even after the protests ended, Vinod Kalukhe's shy smile continues to make the rounds online, serving as a reminder of how a simple, unscripted moment can become one of the internet's most memorable highlights.