Former aide of Nayeem behind Patlolla murder?

HYDERABAD: A former associate of renegade Naxal Nayeemuddin, Asif is being suspected to have carried out the brutal murder of gangster Patlolla Goverdhan Reddy, an accused in the killing of TDP MLA Paritala Ravindra. Unconfirmed reports, however, suggested that at least four persons, reportedly associates of Goverdhan Reddy had surrendered before the police, though the same was being denied by the officials.However, the needle of suspicion points towards Nayeemuddin for being the mastermind behind the murder. Nayeem's former associate Asif is the prime suspect. Goverdhan Reddy was stabbed 13 times, a fact which investigators believe is a typical Nayeem ''style'' of executing murders.Sources associated with the investigation told Express that Asif used to work for Nayeemuddin till sometime back. In fact, it was on Nayeem's backing that Asif was considered for the post of a councillor in Nalgonda district, considered to be Nayeem's stronghold.However, differences cropped up between Nayeem and Asif over some financial matters which made Asif turn against Nayeem. In fact, sources said that Asif began collecting money from various persons using Nayeem's name which angered him further. Later, Asif parted ways with Nayeem and joined hands with Patlolla and both reportedly were into settling land deals in and around Cyberabad. Sources said that of late, Asif had become very close to Patlolla and also gained his confidence.However, one such land deal in Uppal area is what appears to have created a rift between the two. It is believed that Patlolla was in support of one party, for reasons not known, which Asif was against. This led to differences between them following which Asif might have hatched a plan to eliminate Patlolla so that he could control all his operations.Investigators were also not ruling out the possibility of Asif once again joining hands with Nayeem to eliminate Patlolla. ''All these angles are also being looked into,'' a source said.Unconfirmed reports suggested that at least four associates of Patlolla, including Asif, surrendered before the police on Tuesday night itself. Police officials, however, denied the same.When contacted, east zone DCP Y Gangadhar told Express that investigation so far revealed that Patlolla was involved in the settlement of a land in Uppal area and said that differences over this could have led to his killing.''We are gathering call details of Goverdhan Reddy's mobile to ascertain whom he spoke to before being done to death,'' he said.