Patna: A 10-year-old girl, found crying for help on the road and bleeding profusely from what doctors suspect were stab injuries to her private parts, died at a primary health centre in Madhubani district, around 180km north-east of Patna, on Tuesday.

The incident, which has reminded local residents of the physiotherapy student's gang-rape, torture and murder in Delhi in December 2012 that created upheaval across the country, occurred at a village under the jurisdiction of Rajnagar police station.

A group of youngsters on their way to immerse the idol of goddess Saraswati spotted the girl, a student of Class V, on the Rajnagar-Baburahi road on Tuesday evening. She was taken to the local primary health centre.

"There were injury marks on her private parts. She might have been attacked with a sharp-edged weapon," said Dr Ramesh Kumar Paswan of the Rajnagar primary health centre. "She died within five minutes after being admitted. She was not in a condition to divulge anything."

The post-mortem report is awaited. Raj Nagar police station house officer Rupak Ranjan Singh said a bloodstained gunny bag and a pair of slippers were recovered from the spot where the girl was found.

Madhubani SP Deepak Barnwal said the girl lost her way while going to immerse an idol of Saraswati. How she was left alone is being probed.