New Delhi Coca-Cola Factory Chastised for Pigeon Killings
By: Marissa Brassfield
Published: July 5, 2011

A New Delhi Coca-Cola factory is under fire this week following allegations of mass pigeon killings on the property. Harmesh Bhatt of the ASHA Foundation says that Coca-Cola hired five hunters to take care of the factory's pigeon problem. The hunters used nets and bare hands, sticks and stones to trap and kill some 200 pigeons, which has animal rights activists fuming.
The Economic Times reports that a Coca-Cola executive, who wished to remain anonymous, confirmed the pigeon killings and noted that the practice also takes place at Coca-Cola's plants at Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.
Coca-Cola is currently conducting an investigation into the pigeon killings. A police investigation found two dead pigeons and ended with five arrests. In a prepared statement, Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages, which bottles product for Coca-Cola India, said in part, "From time to time, safe and viable solutions are sought from third parties to address intrusions of birds. In this case, a third party, while carrying out an assessment on our premises, found two dead birds in a holding area of our plant."