Indian magician drowns after ‘magic’ act goes wrong

Chanchal Lahiri, an Indian man, who was popular by his stage name “Jadugar Mandrake,” drowned while trying to perform an underwater magic stunt.

The 40-year-old magician on Sunday tied himself up with chains and ropes and was lowered by winch into a river in Kolkata in a yellow and red costume.

Unfortunately, he failed to emerge from the waters, much to the horror of onlookers including his family and team members. Authorities initially believed that the vanishing act could be part of the stunt but immediately mobilised help to rescue him when he failed to make an appearance.

Lahiri had previously said that he had successfully pulled off a similar stunt 21 years ago and wanted to perform one again.

“I was inside a bulletproof glass box tied with chain and locks and dropped down from Howrah bridge. Then I came out within 29 seconds,” he said.

He admitted it would be tough to free himself this time.

“If I can open it up then it will be magic, but if I can’t it will be tragic,” he said.

He also said he was undertaking the death-defying stunt to “revive interest in magic”.