Balasore: Police have arrested a former anganwadi worker, who had been absconding for nearly five years, in connection with the trafficking of a minor girl.

The accused, identified as Mamata Jena, was sent to jail after her bail application was rejected by a local court.

Jaleswar police station inspector-in-charge Chandan Ghodai said a non-bailable warrant was pending against the accused, a Bartna villager.

The accused and her husband had allegedly engaged the minor girl in prostitution after kidnapping her.

On April 3, 2013, the girl, who was then around 16 years old, visited her maternal uncle's house. At that time, she happened to come across the accused, who was her uncle's neighbour. Jena had allegedly lured the victim by promising her a lucrative job outside Jaleswar.

After convincing her, she took her to a rented room in Bhubanswar, where she was forced into prostitution.

During her two-day stay in Bhubaneswar, the girl is said to have been sexually assaulted by several customers. Later, she fled the place and reached home. Then she narrated her ordeals to her parents. The girl's father had lodged an FIR and a case was registered. While Jena had managed to abscond, her husband was arrested by the police. The then district collector had suspended Jena after inquiring into the matter.