Kolkata: A 41-year-old magician, who attempted a Harry Houdini styled escape act in river Hoogly drowned after the plan went awry.
Chanchal Lahiri, who performed acts under the name Mandrake tried an underwater escape act, on Sunday in river Hoogly and then went missing.
It is said that at 12.35 pm, Lahiri was to be dropped into the river by a crane. His limbs were tied inside a cage. The plan was for him to swim back to his launch, which was set up on the broadest part of the river. However, people panicked when he did not reach the launch for a very long time. Later, his body was fished out of the river at about 6 pm and Lahiri’s family members have identified the body.
“A couple of people said they saw a man struggling, seeking help, in the middle of the river. The North Port police were informed and a team of divers from the disaster management group joined the rescue operation. Till late evening, Lahiri’s body was yet to be recovered,” DC (Port) Syed Waquar Raza is quoted in TOI.
“Lahiri is a resident of the southern suburbs of Kolkata. He had sought permission from both Kolkata Police and the Kolkata Port Trust. He had clearly mentioned the act was to happen on a boat or vessel and there was no connection with water. Hence, we allowed him permission. However, he did vaguely mention an ‘extra act’, which he did not clarify. We are investigating,” Raza added.
Many say that in 2013 Mandrake was assaulted by the people when he staged an escape act. Back then, he had locked himself up in a six-feet cage and was dropped 30 feet under water. Within seconds he had emerged out of the water, but only to be assaulted by the spectators who felt deceived as they said they saw him escape through the fake door.
But, his determination to continue his work and popularise the act again brought him to Hoogly on Sunday. But, it so seems that he ran out of luck!
Mandrake was not new to misadventure. Almost a decade ago his performance went awry after declaring that he would walk on Hoogly water.
