A one-year-old girl is battling for life in hospital, with multiple cigarette burns and fractures, allegedly inflicted by her father who did not want a daughter.

Karnataka state police have arrested the baby's father, Ramesh Sunagar, who was reportedly physically harming his daughter for the last six months at their home in Dharwad district, about 400 km northwest of Bangalore.

Dharwad superintendent of police YS Ravikumar said the girl was admitted to the intensive care unit of the Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) in Hubli on Thursday.

Dr K Shapura, paediatrician at KIMS, said the child had patches and multiple fractures. "The child is anaemic, but relatively stable and needs at least two months to recover."

The child's rescue was made possible by locals who alerted the police after Sunagar, a construction worker, allegedly threw the baby on the floor. Sunagar, who got married four years ago, has allegedly been harassing his wife too.

The couple has a son, who is apparently well looked after, locals have told the police.