Residents mill at the scene where the lorry overturned(source. Facebook)

Emali police in Makueni county were on Thursday forced to lob teargas canisters to disperse a mob that was mercilessly beating their colleague.

According to eyewitnesses, the officer had arrested a lorry driver and forced him to go to the station.

However, on the way, he attempted to take control of the steering wheel thus having a tackle with the driver causing the lorry to overturn.

Irate residents descended on the officer with blows and kicks before help came.

"The lorry was coming from Mombasa direction and on reaching Emali just near Nakumatt supermarket traffic police officers stopped the driver. As they were on the road the driver and the officer started fighting over the steering wheel and that's when the lorry overturned," said a witness.

"When residents came and saw the officer inside the lorry they started beating him and he sustained serious injuries before his colleagues came and teargassed the residents who scattered," he added.

The officer is currently admitted at Kilome nursing home where he is receiving treatment.

The lorry was also towed to Emali police station as police commence investigations into the incident.

Content created and supplied by: Cpatterson (via Opera News )