An eight-month-old infant has been allegedly raped by her cousin in the Indian capital, Delhi.

The girl was reported to be in a critical condition, hospital authorities said. The accused, who went missing soon after the incident on Sunday, was arrested late on Monday, reports NDTV.

The critically injured child was brought to a hospital on Sunday where she had to undergo a surgery, after this the her condition was reported to be stable, news agency Press Trust of India reported, quoting sources.

The man, who is reportedly the first cousin of the child and lives in the same building, has confessed to the crime, reported PTI.

Police said the baby, whose father works as a labourer, was alone at her home in West Delhi's Subhash Nagar on Sunday afternoon. When her mother, a domestic help, returned from work, she found the child covered in blood and crying, reports Indian news portal the NDTV.

Later their parents rushed to the police and a case was filed under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences or POCSO and other sections of Indian Penal code.

A medical examination has confirmed that the child was raped, the police said.