IGP Pujith Jayasundara said that he regretted the alleged threat made by Head of the Special Task Force DIG Ranjith Perera to the media.

Speaking at an event in Vavuniya yesterday, the IGP said that he inquired from the DIG as to who gave the authority to make such statements.

He also said that the journalists are also doing a service to the country and therefore they have to be protected.

Jayasundera said that the DIG's statement was a private one and it does not reflect the position of Sri Lanka Police.

Perera had reportedly threatened journalists recently, claiming that his team knew how to take care of certain journalists with alleged links to the underworld.

The DIG was apparently furious as the media had not given the STF sufficient publicity over the seizure of the largest cocaine haul in Sri Lanka last week.

On Saturday, SSP Ajith Rohana and SSP Priyantha Jayakody publicly apologized from the media for the incident.