An officer drawn from Kasagam Police Station was on the receiving end of revellers' blows after lobbing teargas at a local nightclub in the wee hours of Tuesday morning, April 11.
Reports indicated that the officer was looking for his girlfriend whom he suspected was in the company of another man.
The officer is reported to have trailed his girlfriend to a hotel based in Kisumu where he was denied access by the security guards.
Enraged at the guards, the officer lobbed a teargas canister at the hotel's compound before taking off on his motorcycle.
At around 3:00 am, the officer tracked his girlfriend to the nightclub along Kisumu-Nairobi Highway and instantly walked in while trying to locate her in the sea of revellers who were dancing.
Minutes later, the police officer reportedly lobbed another teargas canister sending the club into a frenzy as the revellers scampered for safety.
However, before the officer could escape the scene, a section of the partygoers descended on him with heavy kicks and blows. Fortunately, the officer was saved by his colleagues who were responding to a distress call.
The police officer was rushed to Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital for medical attention.
Teargas canisters consist of a highly-effective chemical agent used by law enforcement officers to control crowds. Experts have previously warned over the effects of teargas exposure - indicating it could have dire ramifications if one is exposed to it for too long.
"A significant amount of teargas inhalation will have both short-term and long-term effects on the nose, eyes and the lungs."
"It is a serious danger to those with pre-existing conditions such as asthma and other pulmonary diseases," respiratory specialist Dr Andrew Oduor stated.
