A day after a Gorkha Janamukti Mukti (GJM) woman member was shot dead in Darjeeling, Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) chief Subhash Ghisingh today left the hills for “security reasons”. The GNLF’s sole legislator and other leaders also resigned from the party.

Ghisingh was escorted out of Darjeeling and first sheltered in an Army camp. Later, he was shifted to the NHPC guesthouse near Siliguri. But the guesthouse authorities reportedly claimed that all their rooms were booked, forcing Ghisingh to check into a hotel.

Speaking to mediapersons in Siliguri, Ghisingh said he had to leave Darjeeling as the GJM felt “my presence in the hills was creating tension.”

Meanwhile, GNLF MLA Shanta Chettri, along with councillors I N Pradhan, Nencheki Pradhan, S K Lama and N D Khawas announced their resignation from the party. Two other MLAs — Golam Lepcha and Pranay Rai — had resigned from the party some months back.

Earlier in the day, GJM chief Bimal Gurung had demanded that Ghisingh and other GNLF leaders leave Darjeeling immediately as they were conspiring with Siliguri-based CPI(M) leaders to destabilise the “peaceful and democratic movement for Gorkhaland”.

Yesterday, rampaging mobs of GJM supporters raided at lest half-a-dozen houses of GNLF leaders and their sympathisers in different parts of Darjeeling town. The attacks followed the death of a GJM woman, who was reportedly killed when security guards opened fire on protestors.