Katmandu, Jan 27: Maoist rebels abducted at least 150 students from a high school in mountainous western Nepal to force them to attend a public rally, a newspaper reported today. Students from Bannatoli village in Accham district, about 600 kilometers west of Katmandu, were taken from their school yesterday, said the newspaper.
Villagers were quoted as saying the students would be freed after the rally where they would distribute pamphlets and shout pro-rebel slogans. It was not immediately clear where or when the demonstration would take place.
Rebels based in the Himalayan kingdom's mountainous areas often force students to go to rallies to boost attendance numbers.
The guerrillas, who say they're inspired by Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong, have been fighting since February 1996 to replace Nepal's monarchy with a communist state.
More than 8,500 people have been killed in the conflict.
Fighting has escalated since the insurgents withdrew from a cease-fire in August.
Officials did not comment on the report and it was impossible to contact the rebels in the remote regions. Bureau Report