Three Buddhist monks, including Ven. Balangoda Kassapa Thero, who were engaged in a death-fast protest near the Ruwanweli Maha Seya in Anuradhapura, have been taken into police custody.

The arrests were made following a clash between the monks and a group led by Rajanganaya Saddharathana.

The death-fast protest, launched by Ven. Balangoda Kassapa Thero and two other monks at the Satyagraha site in Anuradhapura, entered its second day today.

Tensions escalated when a group led by Rajanganaya Saddharathana arrived at the protest site, triggering a confrontation between the two groups.

During the incident, Rajanganaya Saddharathana, who was reportedly expelled from the Buddhist clergy following a disciplinary inquiry conducted by the Ramanna Nikaya, was injured after being struck on the head with a wooden pole.