In the FIR registered against his attacker, Vidyanand Bapat alleged that he was called ‘anti-Ganesh’ and ‘atheist,’ and had explicit abuses hurled at him during the attack on September 4. Bapat has risen to fame for opposing noise pollution during Ganesh festival in Pune. He was attacked on Tilak Road while giving an interview to news channel TV 9 Marathi.Bapat further alleged that the attacker said, “You environmentalists are like this only, you create hurdles for our Ganesh festival, you speak against DJs…I will now kill you, I will see how you stay alive.”The FIR was filed against an unidentified person, however the police identified him as Santosh Chavan and booked him under BNS 115 (2) (Voluntarily causing hurt), 353 (2) (Statements conducing to public mischief), 352 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 351 (2) (Criminal intimidation), and 296 (Obscene acts and songs).The attacker was arrested the same day by the police and Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar assured strict action against him.The DCP Krushikesh Rawale informed that according to the initial inquiry, the attacker did not like Bapat’s views on Ganesh festival that he has been expressing over the past few days. He informed that the accused has two previous cases registered against him in 2014 and 2015.The FIR further describes that the attack took place around 11:45 am when the interview with the TV channel was going on opposite Mahesh Nagari Sahakari Bank on Tilak Road.At a press conference a day after the attack, Bapat said, “They don’t have anything to say to oppose me. If they use violence it takes the issue to another dimension. The person has done it for cheap publicity and it makes no difference. Pune is called cultural capital, is this your culture?”Story continues below this adWhen asked if he would continue to be a part of protests against noise pollution during Ganesh festival, Bapat referred to the murder of rationalist Dr Narendra Dabholkar and said, “He left for a morning walk and was murdered. So we can’t say what can happen when. But if I am in a physical state to go I will attend the protests.”