Non-lethal weapons to continue at Indo-Bangla border: BSF DG

BSF feels the practice is helping maintain security at the frontier

The Border Security Force, which guards the Indian border with Bangladesh, has decided to deploy more non-lethal weapons with its patrol troops as it feels the practice is helping maintain security at the frontier.

"Bangladesh is a friendly neighbour and I think the policy to use non-lethal weapons on this frontier should continue. There is no need to review this arrangement for the time being," BSF chief D K Pathak told PTI.

The Director General, who recently toured the border areas on India's eastern flank after taking the command of the 2.5 lakh personnel strong paramilitary in April, said the force will deploy more of such weapons, which according to the existing policy, is being provided to a select group of troops.

Apart from this there are troops who are also armed with lethal weapons and ammunition.

The DG said the security situation at the Indo-Bangla border is normal and both the countries are taking a number of steps to ensure effective border management in these areas.

Over the last three years, both the countries have identified over 175 patches along the 4,096 kilometre border which are vulnerable and the border guarding forces of both sides also conduct joint patrolling here.

BSF's counterpart is known as the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB).

India introduced non-lethal weapons like pump action guns, stun laser shots and rubber bullets along this border about four years back keeping in mind the challenge of bringing down instances of border killings in these areas.

The instances of border killings and injuries have come down by over half over the last few years even as a number of incidents of fatal attacks on BSF troopers by alleged smugglers had seen a spurt during the same period.