Police gave no details of the whereabouts of the four fasting monks

The monks had been demanding the immediate release of the detained opposition leader, General Sarath Fonseka.

BBC's Elmo Fernando, who was at the scene, reports that some who came with the police to remove were in civilian clothes.

The police who ordered journalists to move away from the scene bundled the four monks to a bus painted with words 'Thunuruwane Saranai' (blessings of the triple gem).

Court martial

The police gave no further details and the whereabouts of the monks is unkown.

	Mrs. Fonseka has lodged a complaint with the NHRC

The wife of the detained general, Anoma Fonseka, has sought the intervention of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to help improve his health condition.

She has urged the NHRC to order army commander to send a specialist doctor to treat Gen Fonseka, who is suffering from breathing difficulties as a result of the suicide bomb attack in 2006.

The next hearing in the continuing court martial process against General Fonseka, who stood against President Mahinda Rajapakse in elections earlier this year, is scheduled for Tuesday.

A new panel for the hearing has been announced by the government.

Maj Gen MP Peiris (President-CM), Maj Gen SWL Daulagala and Maj Gen M Hathurusinghe are to sit for the tribunal, the Sri Lanka Army announced.