UKHRUL, NOVEMBER 6: Nagaland, considered one of the safest states for women in India witnessed a horrifying crime involving the murder of a 22 year old, Vihozonu Zao.
Zao was a promising women’s basketball player who represented Nagaland at the U23 Basketball Championship in Guwahati earlier this year.
Zao left to play basketball on the evening of October 24 but failed to reach her destination. The case came to light when her body was reportedly found next morning, October 25 according to the Southern Angami Youth Organisation, “below her residence hidden behind a ring well covered by a sack, clothes, and firewood.”
Later that night Samuel Zao (31), her adopted paternal uncle was arrested as the prime accuse by South Police Station, Kohima.
Kohima Superintendent of Police Krodi Rhetso revealed during a press conference that the prime accuse on Wednesday (November 5) confessed to the crime.
During interrogation the accuse admitted to killing his niece after she allegedly responded dismissively when asked 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. The post-mortem also indicated that the victim suffered a fractured skull due to a blunt force impact.
He then covered her head with a sweater and disposed her mobile phone. Police also mentioned he hid her body in his room before dumping it near a ring well in the basement of the house .
In the midst of a steady increase in the participation of Indian women in sports at both national and international levels, the death of Zao was a huge loss for the sporting community and Nagaland at large.
“Vihozhono embodied the spirit of determination, discipline, and grace on and off the court. Though her time with us was too brief, Vihozono’s legacy will live on – in every girl who dares to dream, in every bounce of the ball on our courts, and in the hearts of all who knew and loved her,” wrote the Nagaland Basketball Association as a tribute to Zao.
While addressing a programme to mark the International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women at Chumoukedima Town Council in November 2024, Martha R Ritse, secretary social welfare department revealed that Nagaland recorded 350 cases of domestic abuse in 2023, the most in recent times.
A series of disturbing increase in the number of criminal acts has also been observed in Nagaland this year.
Civil society, student and women’s organizations expressed their shock and grief, noting that violence against women is not only distressing but also reflects a deeper moral and social decay which cannot be ignored. They emphasized that violence in any form against women is unacceptable and cannot be tolerated in society.