Injured Telangana Excise Constable remains critical at NIMS, shows slight improvement

Telangana Excise Constable, 25-year-old Gajula Sowmya, who sustained serious injuries during an operation to apprehend ganja smugglers in Nizamabad, continues to remain in a critical condition at Hyderabad’s Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS), though doctors say her condition has shown slight improvement.

The Constable had sustained grievous injuries while attempting to intercept suspected ganja smugglers in Nizamabad, after the accused rammed their vehicle into her.

According to a health bulletin issued by NIMS on Tuesday (January 27, 2026), Ms. Sowmya was brought to the Hospital’s Emergency Department at 1.40 a.m. on January 25 and was immediately admitted. 

The bulletin stated that at the time of admission, her Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) was E3VTM1 as she was sedated. The GCS is a standard neurological scale used to assess a patient’s level of consciousness by evaluating eye, verbal and motor responses, with higher scores indicating better brain function. Her pulse rate was 140 beats per minute, higher than the normal range of 60 to 100, and her blood pressure had dropped to 60/40 mmHg, indicating severe shock. She was placed on Noradrenaline support, a medication used to raise dangerously low blood pressure and improve blood flow to vital organs.

“Her present condition shows signs of improvement. She is now conscious, oriented and able to obey commands, indicating better neurological recovery,” the bulletin said.

Her GCS has improved to E4VtM6, suggesting stronger eye opening and motor responses compared to the time of admission. Her pulse rate has reduced to 110 beats per minute, and her blood pressure has stabilised at 100/60 mmHg. She continues to receive medications.

She has been placed on Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy for renal support and is under continuous cardiac monitoring. An ultrasound of the abdomen revealed minimal collection and confirmed a liver laceration. An echocardiogram showed good biventricular function, which doctors described as a positive sign.

Since her admission, she has received multiple units of blood and blood components, including 2 units of fresh frozen plasma, which helps in blood clotting, and 4 units of platelets, which are essential to control bleeding. 

She remains on ventilatory support in Assist Control/Volume Control mode, a setting where the machine helps regulate the number and size of breaths delivered to the patient. The oxygen concentration being delivered is 30%, and her oxygen saturation is at 100%, indicating adequate oxygen levels in the blood. She is also being treated with antibiotics to prevent or control infection, along with pain relief and sedation to keep her comfortable during critical care management.