Pune man leading war against noise pollution during Ganpati slapped on camera

Thirty-seven-year-old Bapat, who works at a BPO firm and lives in Pune’s Narayan Peth, has come into the spotlight after sparking a debate over noise levels in the city during the Ganpati festival.

3 min readPuneUpdated: Sep 4, 2026 03:57 AM IST

Vidyanand Bapat was attacked while he was speaking to the media

Pune resident Vidyanand Bapat, who has been campaigning against the use of DJs and loudspeakers during Ganeshotsav and other public festivals, was assaulted on Thursday while speaking to a news channel. Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar said the attacker had been arrested and was being charged with cognizable non-bailable offences.

The incident, which took place while Bapat was giving a live interview to the TV channel on Tilak Road. The attack was caught on camera with the assaulter abusing and hitting Bapat.

Bapat has been vocal in recent days about the need for banning loudspeakers and dhol tashas during public celebrations, arguing that noise pollution during festivals needs to be curbed.

Pune Police Commissioner speaking to media said, “We are in the process of recording the statement. In this case a cognizable and non-bailable case is being filed. The accused is in police custody and the process to arrest him will be initiated after the FIR is filed. The accused will be presented in court tomorrow and we are going to ask for PCR (Police custody remand).”

“The police have taken this extremely seriously and there will be strict action against the accused. It is an extremely condemnable incident of violence,” he remarked. Kumar added that Bapat was being provided round-the-clock police protection. He said that at a meeting with him Ganesh mandals had also ‘unanimously’ denounced the attack.

The attack was condemned by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. He said, “Violence like this is not correct. Everyone has a right to say their opinion. To attack someone while he is opining is not correct. Police has arrested the accused.”

The Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (MANS) also condemned the attack on Bapat. In a statement it said, “If anyone disagrees with Bapat’s position, they should present their views based on facts. Resorting to physical violence when unable to refute points is a highly dangerous trend. If a person speaking out against noise pollution is assaulted today, tomorrow any citizen might fear raising their voice against injustice, superstition, pollution, corruption, or public malpractices.”

Story continues below this ad

Moreover, reacting to the incident, Congress leader Prashant Jagtap said, “Bapat has been representing the concerns of Pune residents at large and does not oppose religious festivals, only the excesses associated with DJ use.”

Jagtap alleged that, “The ruling party has emboldened such attacks by failing to support voices like Bapat’s, and said the assault reflects growing highhandedness under the party’s rule in the city.”

BJP and NCP(SP) leaders also arrived at the Faraskhana police station to lend support to Bapat.

Soham Shah

Soham Shah is a Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Pune. A journalism graduate with a background in fact-checking, he brings a meticulous and research-oriented approach to his current reporting. Professional Background Role: Correspondent coverig education and city affairs in Pune. Specialization: His primary beat is education, but he also maintains a strong focus on civic issues, public health, human rights, and state politics. Key Strength: Soham focuses on data-driven reporting on school and college education, government reports, and public infrastructure. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His late 2025 work highlights a transition from education-centric reporting to hard-hitting investigative and human-rights stories: 1. Investigations & Governance "Express Impact: Mother's name now a must to download birth certificate from PMC site" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant policy change by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) following his earlier reports on gender inclusivity in administrative documents. "44-Acre Mahar Land Controversy: In June, Pune official sought land eviction at Pawar son firm behest" (Nov 9, 2025): An investigative piece on real estate irregularities involving high-profile political families. 2. Education & Campus Life Faculty crisis at SPPU hits research, admin work: 62% of govt-sanctioned posts vacant, over 75% in many depts (Sept 12, 2025): An investigative piece on professor vacancies at Savitribai Phule Pune University. "Maharashtra’s controversial third language policy: Why National Curriculum Framework recommends a third language from Class 6" (July 2): This detailed piece unpacks reasons behind why the state's move to introduce a third language from class 1 was controversial. "Decline in number of schools, teachers in Maharashtra but student enrolment up: Report" (Jan 2025): Analyzing discrepancies in the state's education data despite rising student numbers. 3. Human Rights & Social Issues "Aanchal Mamidawar was brave after her family killed her boyfriend" (Dec 17, 2025): A deeply personal and hard-hitting opinion piece/column on the "crime of love" and honor killings in modern India. "'People disrespect the disabled': Meet the man who has become face of racist attacks on Indians" (Nov 29, 2025): A profile of a Pune resident with severe physical deformities who became the target of global online harassment, highlighting issues of disability and cyber-bullying. Signature Style Soham is known for his civil-liberties lens. His reporting frequently champions the rights of the marginalized—whether it's students fighting for campus democracy, victims of regressive social practices, or residents struggling with crumbling urban infrastructure (as seen in his "Breathless Pune" contributions). He is adept at linking hyper-local Pune issues to larger national conversations about law and liberty. X (Twitter): @SohamShah07 ... Read More

Click here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories

Tags:
Ganpati
pune

Loading Recommendations...

Sep 04: Latest News

Live Blog