A drunken man beat his reputed wife in the head with a hammer after an argument ensued at her Houston, East Bank Demerara residence on Sunday night.

The injured woman who was identified as Kilowtie Persaud, 44, a food vendor of Houston, was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) by public-spirited citizens after crying out for help.

Residents in the area said that the couple has been living together for over two decades, and that domestic abuse would be the usual scenario when the husband returns home in a drunken state.

Reports indicate that Persaud was at home asleep when her husband returned home being under the influence of alcohol. An argument ensued, and it is alleged that the man picked up a hammer and dealt the woman several lashes to her head before walking out the house.

She is currently a patient at the GPHC and her condition is listed as critical.