Over 1,000 youths to marry sex workers

As many as 1,400 youths, including some professionals, associated with a sect have decided to tie the nuptial knot with sex workers to help them lead a respectable life.

As many as 1,400 youths, including some professionals, associated with a sect have decided to tie the nuptial knot with sex workers to help them lead a respectable life.

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The volunteers, participating in a ceremony organised by Dera Sacha Sauda in Sirsa, have pledged to marry sex workers from Kolkata and New Delhi.

"We are organising an event tomorrow where about 1,400 youths will vow to marry women who were forced into prostitution and want to escape further exploitation. Some families have also decided to legally adopt these women and their children," the sect's spokesman Aditya Insan told PTI.

All the volunteers are members of the Dera, he said.

While some 2-3 couples will tie the knot tomorrow, others will do so within a year, he said, adding the event is also aimed to check the spread of HIV/AIDS.

He said by helping drug users and sex workers "we are trying to help remove people from the highest risk situations and check the spread of HIV/AIDS".