New Delhi: A total of 6,992 children were reported missing and 1,967 kidnapped in West Bengal in 2015 and majority of them were later recovered, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday.

Also, as many as 2,214 persons were arrested over kidnapping of children, minister of state for home affairs Hansraj Gangaram Ahir said.

“As per the information provided by the National Crime Records Bureau, in 2015, 6,992 children were reported as missing in West Bengal and 1,967 children were kidnapped or abducted,” he said.replying to a written question.

Ahir said out of the missing children, 4,875 were female (70 per cent) and among the kidnapped children, 1,424 were (72.4 per cent) female. “Out of the 6,992 missing children, 4,972 children were traced and of the 1,967 kidnapped children, 803 children were recovered. 2,214 persons were arrested and 2,167 were chargesheeted for kidnapping,” he said.