A police inspector was injured during an arrest in Valletta on Wednesday after a man allegedly became aggressive and attacked officers who were responding to an argument between two men.

Police said the incident happened at around 12:30pm in St Mark Street, Valletta, when police officers travelling in a service vehicle were stopped by members of the public who informed them that two Maltese men were involved in an argument.

The officers immediately got out of their vehicle and found the two men in St Patrick Street. During the argument, the two men had jumped from the pavement, a height of around half a storey, to a level below the road.

While police were assisting at the scene, one of the men, a 32-year-old resident of Msida, allegedly became aggressive towards the officers. As police attempted to handcuff him, he allegedly attacked the officers, consisting of an inspector and two constables.

The inspector was struck in the head during the incident.

Additional police assistance was requested, and the 32-year-old man was arrested a short distance from where the argument had taken place. The other man, a 45-year-old resident of Valletta, was also arrested at the scene.

Both men were taken to Mater Dei Hospital by ambulance, where they were certified as having suffered grievous injuries.

The police inspector was later taken to Mater Dei Hospital for treatment, while one of the constables was taken to a health centre. The other constable was not injured.

The inspector and the constable who were taken for medical treatment were certified as having sustained slight injuries. 

Police investigations into the incident are ongoing.