Thiruvananthapuram,  A man was arrested in Kerala's Kannur for beating his year-old stepdaughter with firewood, leaving her with injuries on the face and head, police said on Sunday.

The man was identified as Puthenveetil Ratheesh, 39.

Mother C.V. Remya, 24, was also taken into custody for not preventing her husband from beating the child.

They have been held under the Juvenile Justice Act and will be produced before a magistrate.

The infant is admitted at Government Medical College, Kannur, and her condition is stated to be stable.

The incident occurred on Saturday night, when Ratheesh, in a fit of rage, beat the child up after she urinated inside the house.

The child's grandparents immediately took her to the Peravur Government Hospital and when the doctors found that the infant had severe injuries in the face and head, they alerted the police.

Child's grandmother Soudamini told IANS that Ratheesh used to beat the child for small incidents. "This was the height of his torture and my little girl is grievously injured and there is no option other than to complain to the police. Now the girl is recovering at the Government Medical College, Kannur."

Kerala State Child Rights Commission Chairman, K.V. Manoj Kumar has ordered a detailed investigation into the incident.