Patna, May 16: A 12-year-old girl has died after being thrashed for answering nature's call on a piece of land belonging to her neighbour in Motihari of East Champaran, a district where 24 panchayats have been declared open-defecation free.

Mahima Kumari's neighbours allegedly assaulted her with bamboo sticks and iron rods in Belwanwa locality of the district headquarters town, around 180km north of Patna, around 5am on May 9.

Nawal Sahni, his wife Sangeeta Devi and one of their relatives allegedly beat up Mahima so badly that she was unable to move.

Nawal's shop is located nearby, and the spot is hardly 200 metres from the Motihari Town police station.

Mahima was admitted to a local hospital with grievous injuries around her waist and died today.

An FIR has been lodged with the Motihari Town police station against Nawal, Sangeeta and their relative. An officer posted at the police station said Sangeeta Devi has been arrested and raids were on to arrest the two other accused, Nawal and Jawahir Sahni, who are absconding since the incident on May 9.

"Sangeeta is the main culprit in the incident," the police officer told The Telegraph.

East Champaran superintendent of police Jitendra Rana said that instruction had been given to the station house officer concerned to book the remaining two accused at the earliest and list the case for speedy trial.

"We can't spare those involved in such heinous crimes," he added.

Mahima's father Bittu Sahni, a fisherman, and mother Radhika Devi were in a state of shock, and inconsolable.

"If I could ever have imagined that someone will beat my daughter to death for answering nature's call on a barren piece of land, I would have built a toilet for her," Bittu said, sobbing.

Under chief minister Nitish Kumar's toilet-for-all scheme - a part of his seven resolves for a developed Bihar - a sum of Rs 12,000 is given to every household for building a toilet, which costs something between Rs 20,000 and Rs.25,000.

East Champaran district magistrate Anupam Kumar said over 60,000 toilets have been built in the district under chief minister Nitish Kumar's toilets-for-all drive.

A total of 24 gram panchayats have been declared open-defecation free in the district, he added.

In Bihar, authoritative sources said, around 6.55 lakh households have been provided toilets against the target of 41.26 crore during the financial year 2016-17.

The government has declared 14 out of the state's 534 blocks open-defecation free.

The state police headquarters have earlier also received multiple reports of women being raped while attending nature's call in the open, especially at night.