Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Tuesday urged the agitating students of Vishva Bharati University to "desist from disrupting normal life" and end their stir to protest the theft of a CD containing paintings and unpublished documents of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. The prime minister said he had been "deeply pained" by the turn of events at the Vishva Bharati University during the last few days leading to the disruption of academic activities and normal life on the campus, according to a statement here.

The university is virtually closed since the last ten days as the staff and students joined hands in an agitation to demand a high-level inquiry into the alleged theft of a CD. The prime minister appealed to the students to "desist from disrupting normal life and academic activities and withdraw the agitation". "Thereafter, I will ensure that an impartial inquiry is conducted into the circumstances leading to the agitation and the allegations that have been levelled against the university authorities and other concerned entities," he added, according to the statement.

The protesters have also alleged rampant corruption in the university and also demanded that the institution's vice-chancellor be sent on leave during the investigation to ensure a fair probe.