Two leaders of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) were detained by police on Thursday after they arrived at the Bagdogra Airport in Darjeeling.

They belonged to the Bimal Gurung faction of GJM. The development comes on a day when Gurung and his close aides were expected to arrive in Darjeeling after spending a year and a half in hiding. However, GJM leaders close to GJM said that Gurung cancelled his visit after his associates advised him to do so.

“ Our workers Yogendra Pradhan and Rohan Rai were detained by police at Bagdogra Airport after landing at the airport with papers which were to be submitted before the Jalpaiguri Circuit Bench of the Calcutta High Court,” BP Bajgain, spokesperson of the Gurung faction of GJM told reporters.

Gurung and his associates were expected to arrive on Thursday after the Supreme Court on Wednesday granted him and former GJM general secretary Roshan Giri and other associates four days to seek anticipatory bail related to several cases against them from the Calcutta High Court.

“ Gurung wanted to come here today. But considering the situation here we advised him to cancel his trip,” said Bajgain.