The 8-month-old victim has undergone a surgery on Monday and her condition is stable. (Representational Image | Pixabay)

New Delhi: An eight-month-old baby, who was raped by her 28-year-old cousin in northwest Delhi’s Netaji Subhash Place, needed a three-hour-long surgery for her injuries, after which she is in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Doctors said she is stable.

The baby was rushed to a local hospital on Sunday evening with severe wounds and bleeding. The surgery took place on Monday.

The baby was assaulted when both her parents were out for work, according to the police.

"I left for duty and later my wife also had to leave for about an hour," said the baby's father, a labourer. The child was left with her aunt who stays in the same building.

Since it was a Sunday, the son of the relative was at home.

When the accused saw that his mother was not around, he allegedly forced himself on the baby, police said.

When the girl’s mother, who works as a domestic help, returned home at around 12:30 pm, she found the baby crying on a bed that was covered in blood. She immediately informed her husband.

The baby was rushed to a hospital, where it was confirmed that she was sexually assaulted, police said.

The family told the police that they suspected the child's cousin -- also a father of a boy -- who was missing.

The victim was arrested on Monday evening. According to police, the 28-year-old also confessed to raping the baby under the influence of alcohol, said a senior police officer.

According to reports, he had allegedly taken away the baby saying he wanted to play with her.

"This man puts humanity to shame. Despite being a father he did this," Delhi Commission for Women, Swati Maliwal said.

She also tweeted:

The worst has happened. An 8 month old baby has been brutally raped in the Capital and is battling for her life in a Hospital. Going to the hospital to meet her. Am totally numb. Terrified to face her! Please please pray for her. — Swati Jai Hind (@SwatiJaiHind) January 29, 2018

Attacking the police in a series of tweets, she raged: "This is not the rape of an eight -month-old child but the rape of the Delhi Women's Commission."

The accused man has been charged with offences for which he could face life term.

Laws on rape were made stringent after a young medical student was gangraped on a moving bus in the national capital in December 2012.