A private radio and television station was destroyed in a mob attack in Sri Lanka's capital Friday morning, police said.

A gang of about 15 men wearing masks entered the building located in Hunupitiya in Colombo, doused it in petrol and set the studios on fire, according to police.

Siyatha Radio and Siyatha TV broadcasting in Sinhala, the English-language Real FM and Tamil-language Vettri FM were affected by the attack.

The media organisation was run by a former close associate of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The owner fell out with the government and was operating independently.

Last year, another private television and radio station in the suburbs of Colombo was also torched.