Gorkha Janmukti Morcha chief Bimal Gurung (above left) on Friday resigned from the post of chief executive of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, and demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry into the incidents of police firing on GJM supporters, The Indian Express reported. Gurung also said that the indefinite strike in Darjeeling would continue and that the GJM would burn the GTA agreement on June 27.

The GTA agreement is a tripartite accord signed between the GJM, the West Bengal Government and the Centre in 2011, which led to the formation of GTA, a regional autonomous body. The body was being administered by the GJM, with Bimal Gurung as its Chief Executive.

The GJM has offered a 12-hour window to schools in the Darjeeling hills to evacuate their students safely to Siliguri and Rongpo. Over 5,000 students study in schools in Darjeeling and Kalimpomg district, said The Hindu. The summer vacations for these students began on Friday, and hundreds of students left the hills of Darjeeling for Siliguri.

Earlier on Friday, at least 43 GJM members resigned from the GTA. Speaking to PTI, GJM General Secretary Roshan Giri said “Today we have decided to resign from the GTA. The resignations will be submitted to the principal secretary of GTA.” All political parties in Darjeeling had on June 20 decided that the GJM representatives will resign from the GTA.

On Thursday, the Darjeeling police filed a case of murder against 24 GJM leaders, including party chief Bimal Gurung and his wife Asha Gurung, for the death of a GJM supporter on Saturday. However, the GJM had said that cases should be lodged against police and state administration for “violating human rights and killing people”. Normal life in Darjeeling has come to a standstill, with depleting food stock, suspended internet services and non-payment of daily wages.