Image copyright AFP Image caption The pop star was in Colombo as part of his Love and Sex world tour

Sri Lanka's president says the organisers of an Enrique Iglesias gig should be whipped as punishment over the behaviour of some female fans.

Maithripala Sirisena said scenes of local women running on stage to kiss the singer and throwing their underwear at him, was "most uncivilised".

He said the organisers should be "whipped with toxic stingray tails" - referring to an ancient punishment.

The concert was held in the capital Colombo on 20 December.

Mr Sirisena said he had been shocked to hear that during the gig, local women removed their bras in public, threw their underwear at the pop star, or rushed on stage to hug and kiss him.

"This is most uncivilised behaviour that goes against our culture," he told a public meeting.

"I don't advocate that these uncivilised women who removed their brassieres should be beaten with toxic stingray tails, but those who organised such an event should be."

Whipping with the tails of stingrays was reportedly a punishment reserved for hardened criminals in medieval Sri Lanka, and is a popular expression of severe castigation.

President Sirisena also complained about the high cost of tickets, which were said to range from 5,000 rupees ($35; £23) to 50,000 rupees ($350; £235).

There was no immediate comment from the event's organisers.

The concert at a rugby stadium in Colombo was part of the Latin pop star's 'Love and Sex' world tour.