Community members around Bvumbwe Trading Centre in Thyolo District have been involved in running battles with the police on Wednesday following alleged police brutality.

According to some community members, one of the officers at the police station allegedly beat up a cyclist who was crossing a police roadblock at the trading centre injuring him in process.

This angered onlookers who were later joined by scores of others from the trading centre who pelted stones at the police station and blocked the Thyolo-Midima Road with huge stones and tree branches.

The crowd was later dispersed by police who used teargas and rubber bullets.