Houdini-like stunt turns fatal for magician

An attempt to perform a Harry Houdini-like stunt ended in tragedy on Sunday when a local magician most likely drowned in the Ganges in Kolkata near the Howrah Bridge.

According to locals the magician Chanchal Lahiri went into the river near the Millennium Park but disappeared near pillar number 28 of the Howrah Bridge. They added that Lahiri planned to be dropped in the river inside a cage with his hand and legs tied and then re-emerge from the river after freeing himself.

The police and personnel of disaster management team tried to search for him but the body is yet to be traced.

Kolkata police sources say that Lahiri’s body has been swept away by the currents and it will take more time to locate. They added that there were no proper security measures for Lahiri’s stunt.

“After he jumped into the river we were all cheering him. But we started to worry when he did not surface after more than 10 minutes,” locals said.

Then they got in touch with officials of the local North Port Police Station who then rushed to the spot and started the search operation. Four divers have been pressed into service.