Official sources said the young widows were often forced by some militant organisations to carry arms from one place to another, smuggle contraband drugs or deliver extortion letters to government officials, contractors, businessmen and others.
Now a campaign has been launched by a local organisation in the four valley districts of Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal and Bishenpur to create public opinion against what it said 'unethical' practice.
The co-convenor of the organisation 'Conflict Widows' Forum, Manipur' (CWFM), L Brajeshwari, urged the government to provide all facilities to the hapless widows under various family benefit schemes.
Braheshwari said as these young women were hard-pressed to make a decent living, the militant outfits took advantage of their condition and paid them a small sum to get jobs done. If any of them refused to obey, she was threatened.