Bhubaneswar, Jul 4 (IANS): A tribal woman in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district has allegedly sold her nine-month-old daughter to a child-less couple for mere Rs 800, police said on Tuesday.

The mother was identified as Karami Murmu, a native of Mahulia village under Khunta police limits of tribal-dominated Mayurbhanj district.

According to the police, she sold her daughter Lisa to a couple -- Phulamani Marndi (40) and Akil Tudu -- of nearby village Bipracharanpur a month ago.

Karami sold the child without the knowledge of her husband, Mushu Murmu, who works in Tamil Nadu and is often away from home for work. The couple had two daughters including the one, who was sold for just Rs 800, said a police official.

When Mushu recently came back home from Tamil Nadu, he could not find his younger daughter. He was worried and filed a missing FIR at the Khunta police station.

During the investigation, Karami admitted that she had sold her baby girl to another couple.

Speaking to media persons, Karami said she sold the baby for Rs 800 as she finds it difficult to raise her. The couple who bought the girl child said they bought the child as they have no child.

After inquiring about the incident, the Khunta police have arrested four people, Karami, the couple who bought the girl child and Mahi Murmu, the mediator who made the deal.

The girl child was rescued and handed over to her grandmother in presence of the Child Welfare Committee, Baripada, the police official said.