Nagaland Police crack murder of basketball player, arrest victim’s uncle as prime accused

Nagaland Police have solved the murder of 22-year-old state-level basketball player Vihozhonu Zao, whose death on October 25 sent shockwaves across Kohima. 

The prime accused, identified as her adopted paternal uncle Samuel Zac (31), has confessed to the crime, Kohima Superintendent of Police Krodi Rhetso said at a press conference on Wednesday.

Zac was arrested on Tuesday following an investigation led by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted on October 26 under Additional SP K. Sarisa. The case came to light when Vihozhonu’s body was found under suspicious circumstances outside her residence at Old Minister’s Hill.

According to SP Rhetso, the investigation revealed that the murder took place inside the house, and the location where the body was found was a secondary crime scene. Police said the motive appeared to stem from a sudden outburst of anger.

Also Read: Former Nagaland minister urges state assembly to pass resolution for implementing political solution

During interrogation, Zac admitted to killing his niece after she allegedly responded dismissively when he asked her to make tea around 2 p.m. on the day of the incident. Enraged, he struck her on the head with a piece of firewood, causing her to collapse. He then covered her head with a sweater, switched off her phone, removed the SIM card, broke the handset, and disposed of the parts in a garbage truck the next morning.

Police said the accused hid the body in his room before dumping it near a ring well in the basement of the house. Further investigation is underway.