Following the viral video where a Korean national and a few others could be seen shooting at pigeons in a factory, a complaint has been registered. The incident took place at the factory of Korean spare parts manufacturer Myunghwa Automotive Ltd at their plant in Kanchipuram.
The complaint was filed against eight employees of Myunghwa by Blue Cross on Saturday.
In a video that went viral on Wednesday, a Korean national could be seen firing at the pigeons. Captured on a phone, the video shows the employees walking inside the factory. Heavy machinery surrounds the men and the main accused, a Korean expat, can be seen wielding a rifle and taking aim at the ceiling, after which a gunshot can be heard. The accused then fires at pigeons inside the building and the men assisting the expat can be seen walking around with him.
The men reportedly shot pigeons entering the factory premises every Sunday.
Dawn Williams, the General Manager of Blue Cross, filed a complaint under Section 25a of the Arms Act and under Section 428 (mischief by killing or maiming animal of the value of ten rupees), 429 (mischief by killing or maiming cattle, etc., of any value or any animal of the value of fifty rupees) and 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the IPC.
"My complaint is against the Korean expat who is seen shooting the pigeon, the person who assisted in the shooting, the person who picked up the dead pigeon, the HR manager, the security personnel in front of the factory, security officer and safety officer. The accused was in possession of weapons and they were firing in an operational area of the factory. Such activities are a violation of safety and can pose a threat to all persons within the premises," Dawn Williams told TNM.
The issue was first brought to the notice of Blue Cross by a Myunghwa employee.
"He is an animal lover. On seeing this video he brought it to our attention and we were able to intervene," Dawn added.
"Pigeons do not come under the Wildlife Protection Act. However, hunting of animals and birds are strictly prohibited in India. Therefore, action can be taken against the accused," Dawn added.
The complaint has been registered at the B5 police station in Walajabad, Kancheepuram, where the factory is located. The police are currently investigating how the accused got hold of the weapons that were used to shoot the pigeons.
Police have registered a complaint against all the accused including the safety officer, the security personnel and the officer in charge of security.
“We have registered a CSR complaint against the incident. Now the SI is on the case and investigations are ongoing,” an officer at the B5 Walajabad police station told TNM. CSR is a community service register kept at all Indian police stations to record non-cognisable offences.
Myunghwa Automotive Ltd. is a Korean company headquartered in Seoul. They have their spare parts factory in Kancheepuram.