India, April 30 -- The murder of former matka (gambling) operator Ramesh Reddy in the Dehu Road area near Pimpri-Chinchwad on Tuesday evening was allegedly the fallout of a long-standing rivalry involving Sabir Sheikh and his associates, with police linking the motive to Reddy's opposition to bail pleas in an earlier organised crime and murder case.

According to investigators, Reddy had been actively opposing the bail applications of Sheikh and others who were booked under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in connection with the murder of his brother, John alias Vikram Reddy. Police believe this opposition further escalated tensions between the rival groups.

Officials from Dehu Road police station said, "S...