About 2,500 minor girls have gone missing from various districts of West Bengal in 2009, the state government has informed the Calcutta High Court. Appearing before a division bench comprising Chief Justice JN Patel and Justice AK Ray, Advocate General Balai Roy gave the information on a petition filed by the mother of a missing girl.

Jahura Bibi had filed the petition before the court saying that her daughter Zarina Khatun, a minor who had gone missing from Kakdwip in South 24 Parganas district in 2009, be traced and brought back to her.

The court on Friday directed the Directed General of Police to present Khatun before it on October one.

Most of the teenaged girls have been taken away and sent to other states, the court was informed.

The advocate general told the bench that a comprehensive scheme to stop trafficking of girls from the state has been prepared.

The state was taking steps to set up a special cell to track and bring back all the missing girls and a Central assistance of Rs. 28 crore has been sought for it, he said.

The bench also directed the state to take necessary steps to trace other missing girls.

The court will take up the matter again on November 12.