Overview
- India’s Border Security Force, which disclosed the idea Wednesday to AFP, is studying a plan to deploy snakes and crocodiles in unfenced river stretches and has told field units to report on feasibility.
- The concept was first raised in a February meeting at BSF headquarters, according to senior officer Manoj Barnwal.
- Officials say the proposal targets river deltas, marshes, and mangroves where fencing is hard, with New Delhi noting that only 1,647 of the 2,216 kilometers in West Bengal have barriers along the Bangladesh frontier.
- Barnwal warned of major hurdles such as how to lawfully source reptiles and how to protect people in nearby villages, with The Hindu calling the idea a considerable risk in flood-prone areas.
- The plan remains exploratory with no deployment decision, and its review unfolds as the Modi government prioritizes curbing illegal immigration and Bangladesh’s foreign minister visits India during a strained phase in ties.