Nepal Maoists threaten to blast Kosi barrage

PATNA: Security was tightened in north Bihar's Virpur village on Tuesday following a threat by Nepal's Maoists to blast the nearby Kosi barrage on the India-Nepal border.

The state government was taking all necessary measures to protect the barrage on the Kosi river, said a Bihar home department official.

The state government had alerted the local administration and security forces were deployed at Virpur, about 10 km from the barrage, to keep a close vigil, an official said.

The Kosi barrage lies in Nepal's territory near the international border and has been in operation for several decades. It serves the purpose of irrigation and hydropower generation, benefiting both the countries.

"The security of the barrage is the responsibility of the Nepal government while India only looks after its maintenance," the official said.

The chief engineer responsible for the maintenance of the barrage informed the state government of the Maoist threat. "The chief engineer also informed the government that security personnel deployed at the barrage have fled following the threat," the official said.

Parts of north Bihar could be flooded if the barrage was damaged, the official added.

The state government had already informed the external affairs ministry about the threat and sought its urgent intervention, the official said.