India weighs reptile patrols for riverine gaps on Bangladesh border: Report

New Delhi is reportedly considering the deployment of reptiles to secure the most difficult stretches of its border with Bangladesh.

According to a report by the Indian digital platform The Federal, the plan involves using snakes and crocodiles to guard riverine gaps where traditional fencing is difficult or physically impossible to install.

Indian Home Minister Amit Shah has reportedly directed the Border Security Force (BSF) to explore the feasibility of this surveillance system, The Federal reported.

Out of the 4,096km border between the two nations, approximately 175km consists of rivers and marshy terrain, the report said, adding that the neighbouring country has already fenced 3,240km.

By introducing predatory reptiles, India aims to create a biological deterrent to discourage unauthorised crossings, the report noted.

The border remains one of the most contentious issues in the bilateral relationship.

The 1947 partition drew lines through villages and courtyards, separating families overnight. The lack of economic opportunities in these neglected frontier regions often drives locals to cross for seasonal work or to visit kin.

India’s heavy-handed management has fuelled widespread resentment in Bangladesh.

Human rights organisations frequently criticise the BSF for the killing of unarmed civilians.

This friction has provided fertile ground for Islamist groups to launch sustained anti-Indian political campaigns. The general public increasingly views Indian border policies as an affront to sovereignty and human rights.

Indian media outlets, as in the case of The Federal report, often frame these border incidents through the lens of national security.

The report highlights that the BSF is currently struggling with a manpower crunch and “outdated infrastructure”, leading to vulnerabilities that smugglers and “security threats” purportedly exploit.

The concept draws a striking parallel to the Donald Trump administration’s “Alligator Alcatraz”, a detention facility in the Florida Everglades designed to use crocodiles and pythons as natural barriers to prevent escapes.

The Federal notes that the directive came directly from Amit Shah following a high-level meeting in New Delhi.

The BSF’s eastern and northeastern commands have now been tasked with mapping the specific riverine zones where these reptiles could be introduced, signalling a shift toward a “deterrence-first” strategy that literally turns nature into a weapon.

Amit also reportedly instructed sector headquarters to map border outposts with poor mobile connectivity to submit detailed information on registered cases involving border villagers, highlighting the country’s need for intelligence-backed security measures, The Federal report said.