The incident took place when the child was alone in the house. (Representational)

An 18-month-old girl drowned after accidentally falling into a bathtub at her home in Palghar district of Maharashtra when her mother stepped out for a few minutes to dispose garbage, police said.

The incident took place when the child, Avni Sonawane, was alone in the house located in Virar area on Monday when her father had also gone out for work, police spokesman Hemant Katkar said.

While playing in the house, the girl apparently walked towards the bathroom and fell into the water-filled tub which her mother had kept ready for giving her a bath, Mr Katkar said in a release issued late Wednesday night.

When the mother returned home after disposing the garbage, she saw the child lying head down in the bathtub.

She immediately pulled the child out the tub and rushed her to a local hospital where doctors declared her brought dead, Mr Katkar said.

An accidental death report has been registered in connection with the incident, he added.