Kolkata: Criminal Investigation Department (CID) sleuths started a full-fledged inquiry into the theft of priceless possessions of Rabindranath Tagore from Rabindra Bhavan museum in Santiniketan today (March 26, 2004) as shocked inmates wearing black badges went round the sprawling university complex to protest against the crime.

The State Government has sealed borders with neighbouring States and countries and alerted railway stations and airport to plug possible escape routes of the burglars.

The incident sent shock waves across the country and a public interest litigation was filed during the day in the Calcutta High Court seeking a CBI inquiry into the heist.

Even though the officials were as yet unsure if Interpol's help would be sought to track down the thieves, Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee today said that Centre's help might be sought in the probe at a later stage.

The Chief Minister, who sent his Commerce and Industry Minister, Nirupam Sen, to Santiniketan, is likely to visit the university himself next Sunday (March 28).

The State's IGP (Law and order), Chayan Mukherjee, said that the IG (CID), Bhupinder Singh, visited the Rabindra Bhavan museum, while the State Forensic Science Laboratory Director, M Majhi, along with finger-print experts collected samples from the spot of burglary. ''Those have been sent for examination,'' he said.

The CID and Birbhum district police so far detained four guards, on duty in Uttarayan complex, and a few others in the university, but refused to divulge if any clue was found in the case.

Mukherjee refused to comment if any insider's hand was suspected behind the burglary as also whether any gang had been identified.

''I can't comment in the interest of the investigation,'' he said.

Seventy private securitymen and 42 National Volunteer Force personnel were on duty around the university under the supervision of a retired Army man, he said, adding that the timing of the theft was found to be between 14:30 hours on March 23 and 10:00 am on March 25. ''We have to zero in on exact timing of the crime,'' he said.

He, however, said that all angles were being examined.

About the possibility of seeking Interpol help considering the curio collectors' activities worldwide, the IGP said that it was up to the State Government to think over it, if necessary.

He said that the police was in possession of the full list of the burgled items, which included Nobel Prize medallion, citation, poet's gold pocket watch, his wife Mrinalini Devi's bridal gold-embroidered Baluchari sari, his father Maharshi Devendranath Tagore's gold ring, besides paintings and several gold and silverwares.

A team of 16 intelligence officials left here for Santiniketan along with the finger-print experts.

Replying to reporters' queries at Writers' Buildings here, the Chief Minister said that investigation was going on, but details could not be divulged at this stage.

He said that the State Government might seek Centre's assistance, if required, but not at the moment.

Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani telephoned the Chief Minister enquiring about the burglary, promising Centre's assistance in the probe.