BSF to use chilli powder to prevent infiltration bids

To foil infiltration attempts along the India-Bangladesh border, the Border Security Force is looking at the use of chilli powder in repellents like stun-grenades.

The BSF was prompted to look at using non-lethal weapons to tackle infiltrators and criminals involved in smuggling of contraband, cattle and even human beings, especially after protests over the death of a 15-year-old girl who was allegedly hit by a BSF bullet earlier this year.

"Yes, repellents using chilli powder are in the pipeline," Inspector-General of BSF's Assam Frontier P K Wahal said Tuesday, revealing that experiments are being conducted to make good use of chilli powder in order to ward off infiltrators.

BSF is currently using several types of repellents that include stun-grenades and die-markers. Stun-grenades are non-lethal explosives which leave a person in a disoriented state for 10 to 15 minutes, enabling the forces to apprehend him. "Stun-grenades and dye-markers have produced excellent results in preventing infiltration to a large extent," IG Wahal said.

The BSF has also asked its Tekanpur-based Tear Gas Unit to make available more powerful tear gas shells, as also dye markers and chilli powder to foil infiltration attempts along the Bangladesh border.

Three years ago, the DRDO had successfully developed hand grenades and other repellents to deal with terrorists and rioters by using bhot jolokiya — one of world's hottest chilly variety that grows abundantly in Assam and Nagaland.

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