Karwar: The excise department officials destroyed spirit worth Rs 7lakh, which was seized during the assembly elections, near Majali check-post area, in the City, on Wednesday.

The department officials had seized 3,600 litre of spirit, from a lorry heading towards Kerala from Goa, during vehicle inspection on January 29.

Police had arrested the lorry driver in connection with transporting spirit amid fish trays.

Excise District Officer L A Manjunath said that with no option to use the seized liquor and any other things related to the manufacture of liquor, the department destroys the seized things. After destroying the liquid material, the bottles will be auctioned and the income after selling bottles will be paid to the government, he added. A huge pit was dug for the destruction of spirit in the forest. However, due to the rains, the process was delayed and later officials poured the spirit into the pit and set fire to it. Land Records Department’s Raju Pujari, Excise Inspector Satyanarayan Trivedi and others were present on the occasion.