KATHMANDU, Aug. 29 (Xinhuanet) -- The anti-government guerrillas abducted five teachers from five different schools in Taplejung district in eastern Nepal, local police office said Monday.

    Curricular activities in the schools have come to a halt following the abduction of teachers by the guerrillas, local police office said in a statement.

    The armed rebels abducted the teachers from Kalika Secondary, Laxmi Lower Secondary, Saraswati Primary, Tatne Primary and Khokse Primary schools in Taplejung district, some 300 km east of Kathmandu, on Sunday morning, the statement said.

    The schools have been shut down following the abduction. The whereabouts of the teachers is still unknown, according to the statement.

    The guerrillas often force the civilians, teachers and studentsto take part in their "ideological" programs and usually free themunharmed after a few days.

    Over 12,000 Nepalese people have been killed since the anti-government insurgency took place in the Himalayan kingdom in February 1996. Enditem