Colombo: Facing a barrage of criticism for recent attacks on newspaper offices, Sri Lankan Government has assured of free and fair probe into such incidents. The printing press of the Leader Publication was destroyed yesterday by an armed gang which stormed the building on the outskirts of Colombo and torched the machines, the police said.

According to witnesses, at least 12 masked men carrying weapons allegedly threatened the staff at the building located in Ratmalana and set it afire. Asserting that the government was in no way involved in the recent attacks on publications, Minister of Media Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena told reporters last evening that President Mahinda Rajapakse had asked the authorities to spare no effort in bringing to book the culprits who had set fire to the press situated in the high security zone.

The minister said he wanted to make it clear that the Centre had no hand in the recent attacks on media institutions. He referred to the attack on Ugaya Publishers last week which had very recently started publishing a paper called Siyalaka. This publication had a very limited circulation and published only two editions, he said.

On the Wednesday's attack, the minister said that investigations were being conducted on the President's personal advice. "It was his (President's) concern that no attempt should be spared in this direction since it was a threat to national security as well," Abeywardena said. The minister condemned the act of arson and the earlier attack on Ugaya Publishers and assured a free and fair investigation.

Source : PTI