Inquiry launched after smoke detected in Telangana Chief Minister’s chopper

HYDERABAD: Smoke was detected in a communication set in a chopper, minutes before Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao was to fly in it from Karimnagar district on Tuesday, following which an inquiry was launched, the police said.
The incident was reported at around 10.30 am, following which the communication set was removed from the chopper, they said, adding the chief minister and others travelling in the helicopter were safe.
The chief minister continued with his tour in the same helicopter, the police said.
According to Telangana Director General of Police (DGP) M Mahendar Reddy, smoke was noticed from the kit carrying a communication set due to short-circuit and it was immediately removed from the chopper, which took off from the helipad soon after.
“An inquiry into the incident is on,” the DGP said.
Earlier, another police official said the staff, after noticing smoke emanating from the communication kit, immediately got it removed from the chopper and later the chief minister flew to Adilabad district in the same helicopter.
“There was no snag in the helicopter of the chief minister. The VHS (communication) set used by police had a short-circuit. Smoke was noticed and immediately the kit carrying the communication set was removed from the chopper,” a government official said.
Telangana’s IT Minister K T Rama Rao, who is also the chief minister’s son, tweeted, “Just checked up with CMO team. All is well with Hon’ble CM and he is continuing his tour in Adilabad district.”