Hyderabad: Panic prevailed at Telangana's chief minister house in Karimnagar when smoke emanating from a bag kept in the helicopter, in which CM K Chandrasekhar Rao was just about to travel, was noticed by security personnel on Tuesday. The bag was immediately shifted away from the chopper by police and Rao went ahead with his scheduled visit.

Rao accompanied by his party Rajya Sabha member K Kesava Rao, CMO official Smitha Sabharwal were on their way to Peddapalli district from the helipad in CM's house in Karimnagar when smoke was noticed in the helicopter by the security personnel. Rao and others were seated inside the helicopter when the smoke was noticed, leaving the security personnel panicky.

The bag was immediately shifted to a safer place by the police personnel after which the helicopter took off. Though the security officials are tight-lipped about the incident, it was said that smoke emanated from a wireless set used for communication by security agencies.