Maoist extremists have abducted nearly 200 students from eight schools in eastern Nepal.

One hundred and ninety seven students, all below the age of 18, were abducted from different schools in Udayapur district in eastern Nepal, according to the government-owned daily newspaper, Gorkhapatra.

The All Nepal National Free Students Union (Revolutionary), which is affiliated to the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist, kidnapped the students, apparently in connection with its indefinite nationwide educational strike that began on June 6.

The district's education office has condemned the abduction and urged the Maoists to immediately release the children.

Also see: Reports from Nepal

The Maoists also exploded a powerful bomb on Sunday at a house owned by Deputy Inspector General of Police Devendra Bahadur Malla in Chitawan district in central Nepal. The house was destroyed, but no one was injured in the blast.

Government security forces killed five Maoists in operations across the Himalayan kingdom, according to defence ministry sources.

Meanwhile, General Pyarjung Thapa, chief of the Royal Nepalese army, left on a week-long visit to China at the invitation of the People's Liberation Army on Monday. Thapa will hold talks with Chinese Defence Minister General Cao Gangchuan and the PLA's Chief of General Staff, General Liang Guanglie.