In the deaths of six persons after consumption of illicit liquor in Pathariya Peer colony at Neshville Road on Thursday-Friday, the Dehradun Police have already caught the person accused of selling liquor illegally in the area but the bigger fish accused of selling liquor to this accused person are yet to be caught.

The case has once again raised question on the rampant illicit liquor supply in state, as many locals have alleged that these suppliers come from a politically sound background.

Dehradun Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Arun Mohan Joshi though has stated that strict steps will be taken against the accused irrespective of their backgrounds.

If sources are to be believed, the local police are under considerable pressure. Authorities may say that they are still uncertain about the exact cause of deaths, but the fact remains that the illicit supply of liquor is a problem in the State.

According to police, during the initial interrogation arrested accused Gaurav has stated the name of two people from whom he use to buy liquor apart from licensed liquor shops — Raja Negi alias Raju and a former councillor Ajay Sonkar. Sources also stated, that police are gearing up for raids at possible hide-outs of these two accused.

So far, Rajendra (40), Guddu (30), Sharan Singh (64), Akash (32), Surendra (35) and Inder (40) have died while Avinash alias Lucky, Karan (25), Praveen and Raju (63) have been admitted in All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Rishikesh. With two more patients admitted in Max Hospital on Saturday, the total numbers of patients there is four.

The patients have been identified as Kishori Lal, Mukesh Kumar, Vinod and Vishal Kumar.