India is reportedly considering releasing venomous snakes and crocodiles into riverine sections of its border with Bangladesh as an alternative to building a physical fence. The proposal has been discussed in meetings and internal memos from the Border Security Force (BSF), according to local media reports.
An internal BSF memo dated 26 March asked field units to assess the feasibility of using reptiles in areas where building physical barriers is difficult due to marshy terrain and flood risk. Around 20% of the 4,096km border remains unfenced, with 175km considered unsuitable for a barrier.
The memo stated that the use of reptiles aligns with directions from Home Minister Amit Shah, a close aide of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The unfenced gaps are largely in West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram, where migration has become a political flashpoint.
BSF officers have flagged challenges including risks to local communities and practical difficulties. The proposal comes as India invests in drones and night-vision cameras for border management, and follows a hardline stance on illegal migration, particularly targeting undocumented Bangladeshis and Rohingya Muslims.
Human rights groups have raised concerns about the ruling party's rhetoric against immigrants from Muslim-majority Bangladesh, warning that minority communities have been caught in the crossfire. Thousands of Indian Bengali-speaking Muslims have reportedly been detained or deported without due process.
