India's Border Security Force (BSF), which guards the country's borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh, has instructed its units to study the possibility of using snakes and crocodiles in border river areas. This was revealed in an internal agency document cited by the Indian newspaper The Hindu.

An internal order dated March 26, sent from Border Security Force Headquarters to all field units stationed along the border with Bangladesh, calls for a study and operational assessment of the feasibility of deploying reptiles along sensitive riverine sections of the border. The document also notes that the initiative is being implemented in accordance with the instructions of Indian Home Minister Amit Shah.

The need for unconventional measures is driven by the terrain: in some areas, rivers, swamps, and rugged terrain make it impossible to install conventional barriers. India's eastern border with Bangladesh stretches for over 4 thousand kilometers, passing through densely populated areas and numerous river valleys. According to the Parliamentary Committee on Home Affairs, approximately 371 kilometers of the border remain unfortified.

A final decision on the reptiles' deployment has not yet been made; the issue is still being assessed from an operational standpoint. The Border Service also identified a number of serious risks: the reptiles are unable to distinguish between intruders and local residents, and in the event of floods—typical for these areas—the animals could escape the controlled zone and pose a threat to populations on both sides of the border.

At the same time, the BSF is also considering more technologically advanced methods of protecting the eastern section of the border, including the use of high-tech equipment and surveillance tools.