https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/448917-magician-who-attempted-houdini-inspired-trick-is-feared-drowned



An Indian magician inspired by Harry Houdini is feared dead after he was tied up with ropes, locked in chains and dropped into a river, the Times of India reports.

Chanchal Lahiri, 41, whose stage name is Jadugar Mandrake, hasn’t reappeared from the Hooghly River since Sunday afternoon, when he attempted to perform the underwater escape act that became famous with Houdini more than 100 years ago.

“If I can open it up, then it will be magic, but if I can’t, it will be tragic,” he told fans before plunging into the river, according to the Guardian.

A search and rescue crew has continued to look for Lahiri but hasn’t been successful in finding him.

“He used to practice in swimming pools and rivers,” Sumit Kharbanda, president of the Indian Brotherhood of Magicians, told the Guardian. “All magic has to be perfect, and it takes a lot of practice, but even with practice, things can go wrong. This was a very dangerous performance. I don’t know if it was a breathing issue or just not being able to undo the locks.”

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