News18 on the ground found that the victim’s parents had left their house unlocked, door ajar while leaving. Neighbours and police on security duty could not confirm their whereabouts.

A Tulsi tree, considered holy to Hindus, was seen freshly planted and watered in the courtyard of the hut in what seems to be the family’s observance of post-death rituals.

The family’s neighbour, Putul Biswas, said they had been at home early morning, but could not be found anymore. He said he did not know where they had gone.

Meanwhile, another arrest was made in the case on Tuesday. Prabhakar Poddar, a suspected accomplice of the prime-accused Sohail, will be produced before the Ranaghat court on Tuesday. Police has said Poddar was present at the birthday party where the victim was raped.

Mamata Banerjee on Monday had expressed doubt about the cause of a minor girl’s death, which her family attributed to gang rape, and wondered if the student of Hanskhali in Nadia district died after being slapped by someone. Asserting that the victim had an affair with the accused, a Trinamool Congress leader’s son who was arrested, Banerjee wondered if she was pregnant.

The chief minister also asked why the girl’s family members lodged a police complaint five days after her death and cremating the body.

“The police are yet to understand the cause of the death. I had asked them. Will you call it rape or was she pregnant? Was it (the fallout of) a love affair? Have you enquired about these? This is an unfortunate incident,” Banerjee had said while inaugurating the Biswa Banga Mela Prangan here.

She said that her family members and local people knew about the affair between the girl and the accused.

“You (girl’s family) also conducted the last rites of the body. I am talking as a layman. From where will they (police) get the evidence whether she was raped or she was pregnant or there was any other reason such as she was slapped by someone after which she fell ill,” Banerjee had said.