By Charles Haviland BBC News, Colombo

	Mr. Ekneligoda has supported Gen Fonseka's candidacy, his colleagues say

Prageeth Eknaligoda’s colleagues said he had written articles favourable to the presidential candidate, General Sarath Fonseka, who lost Tuesday’s election to the incumbent president, Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Media rights groups have meanwhile condemned the government for suspending operations of a newspaper critical of the government and arresting its editor.

Prageeth Eknaligoda, a writer for the website lankaenews.com, left home last Sunday morning but hasn’t been heard from since he phoned a colleague that evening, a call that was abruptly cut off.

Lanka newspaper

His wife, Sandhya, has told a Sunday newspaper that she and their two sons haven’t slept for days, saying, “My plea to whoever has Prageeth is to please send him back home.”

	The office of Lanka newspaper was sealed off by the CID

The website has shut itself down after police searched its premises.

At the same time, local media groups have condemned the authorities’ forced suspension of a pro-opposition newspaper, Lanka, and the arrest of its editor.

Their statement accused the government of launching “repression” against media outlets that didn’t obey government orders or that expressed dissenting voices.

The director of the Criminal Investigation Department told the BBC the editor was being held under emergency regulations, because a recent article might have violated rules on government inquiries into terrorism.

My plea to whoever has Prageeth is to please send him back home Mr. Ekneligoda's wife

Since the president’s election victory, the government has moved to secure its position.

On Friday it raided the office of the defeated contender, Sarath Fonseka, arresting 13 people.

It has also detained a serving brigadier who once served directly under General Fonseka and has reshuffled many senior military officers.

The Sunday Times newspaper says the move has demoted many suspected of favouring the general.