Taregna (Bihar), July 21 - A tight security cover is in place in this small Bihar village in view of a strike called by Maoists Wednesday, when hundreds of scientists and tourists from across the world will converge here to watch the century's longest total solar eclipse.

The state government has handed over the security to the paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in view of a strike called by Maoists in Bihar and four other states Wednesday to protest the rising prices of fuel and essential commodities.

Scientists, researchers and astro-tourists from different parts of the world are expected to start arriving in the village, about 35 km from the state capital Patna, Tuesday evening ahead of the total solar eclipse Wednesday. These include scientists from US space agency NASA, Britain, Italy, Poland, Germany, France, as well as from the Tata Institute for Fundamental Research (TIFR) and the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

'Watching a total solar eclipse at Taregna will not be free from the fear of Maoists because this area falls under the Maoist-affected Masaurih sub-division, a lawless area until a few years ago,' said Vinod Singh , a businessman at Masaurih bazaar.

And the government is taking the possibility of Maoist violence seriously.

'The government has made tight security arrangements to counter the Maoist threat,' said Patna District Magistrate Jitendra Kumar Sinha.

Patna Special Superintendent of Police R. Mallar Vizhi told IANS that adequate security personnel have been deployed in Taregna to provide safety and security to scientists, researchers and tourists coming from outside.

'We will not take any chance.