Ghisingh’s supporters shout slogans at Pintail Village after his return from Delhi on Monday. A Telegraph picture

Darjeeling, Feb. 18: Hundreds of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha supporters, including a large number of women, laid siege to strategic points in the hills to stop Subash Ghisingh from entering Darjeeling.

Carrying black flags, the agitators started thronging Ghoom-Jorebunglow, one of the entry points to the town, from noon when word came that the caretaker chief of the DGHC had boarded a flight from Delhi and was on his way to Darjeeling via Bagdogra Airport.

Later, a strong presence of Morcha supporters at Lebong nipped in the bud the possibility of Ghisingh boarding a helicopter from Bagdogra and landing at the army base there.

In fact, the Lebong-Singamari valley is now a Morcha bastion where the party headquarters is located.

The supporters also gathered along NH31A to stop Ghisingh from going to Kalimpong.

Ghisingh’s decision to stop at Pintail Village near Bagdogra Airport and not head directly for the hills came as a shot in the arm for the Morcha protest.

“He is now scared because he knows that he has lost the support of the masses,” said Binay Tamang, the press and publicity secretary of the Morcha.

“Had he been confident of their support, he would have surely headed for home by now for he has no work in Siliguri,” Tamang added.

GNLF leaders, however, appeared unruffled and maintained that nothing could stop Ghisingh from coming to Darjeeling.

“We are just waiting for the instructions of our leader (Ghisingh). If need be, thousands of our supporters from across the hills will go and fetch him. Right now, we are allowing the district administration to handle the matter,” said Deepak Gurung, the president of the Darjeeling branch committee of the GNLF.

“We are more concerned about the Morcha’s forced closure of government offices, banks and other establishments, which is affecting the poor people,” he added.

Residents said if the GNLF does decide to send its supporters to escort Ghisingh back to Darjeeling, a clash with Morcha activists is inevitable.

The Morcha did not rule out the possibility of Ghisingh sneaking into Darjeeling under the cover of darkness. “He could use any means to enter the hills, but our supporters are lighting bonfires and staying put at their stations to stop him,” said Tamang.