India is considering deploying snakes and crocodiles along its frontier with Bangladesh to deter what the Border Security Force (BSF) claimed as unauthorized crossings.
Bangladesh is almost entirely encircled by India and the border stretches for more than 4,000 kilometers (2,485 miles), large parts of which are unfenced across delta regions where Himalayan rivers wind toward the sea.
Senior Border Security Force officer, Manoj Barnwal, told AFP that "the use of reptiles" was discussed in a February meeting with the Home Ministry.
"We have been asked to explore the feasibility of deploying reptiles such as snakes or crocodiles in vulnerable riverine gaps," said Barnwal, deputy inspector general of the paramilitary force based in Kolkata, near the border with Bangladesh.
"The plan revolves around leveraging natural deterrents like crocodiles and snakes in flood-prone zones, along the unfenced area where traditional fencings are either ineffective or not possible," he added.
