Article

2019-06-17 India-Pakistan

Houdini trick takes unexpected twist - river claims shackled magician

[BBC] An Indian magician, who attempted to recreate Harry Houdini's famed trick by jumping shackled into a river, is feared dead.

Chanchal Lahiri was meant to escape and swim to safety but did not emerge from the Hooghly river in West Bengal state.

Spectators who had gathered to watch him take the plunge on Sunday informed the police, who say they are searching for him.

Mr Lahiri, also known as Mandrake, was lowered into the river from a boat.

He was shackled with six locks and a chain as spectators on two boats watched him. Several people had also gathered by the shore and some stood on the landmark Howrah Bridge in Kolkata (formerly Calcutta).

Police and a team of divers canvassed the area but as of Sunday evening local time, they had been unable to find the magician. One officer told the Hindustan Times newspaper that Mr Lahiri could not be declared dead until the body was found.

Jayant Shaw, a photographer with a local newspaper, witnessed Mr Lahiri attempting the trick. He told the BBC that he spoke to him before the magician started his act.

Posted by Besoeker 2019-06-17 04:45|| || Front Page|| [11135 views ] Top

#1 It should read as,

INDIAN MAGICIAN BEATS HOUDINI - SLIPS INTO PARALLEL DIMENSION

Mr. Lahiri, calling himself Mandrake (out of irony or spite against Lee Falk), dressed up as an oriental Sacha Baron Cohen (for some reason) and entered the Hooghly river never to be seen again. While Houdini had done the trick in relatively calmer current and emerged 200-250 ft away after a minute or so; Mandrake's been gone for quite a while now. So he may turn up in the Bay of Bengal.

PS: Actually this belongs in a section called Irony, Fails and Pitfalls.

Posted by Dron66046 2019-06-17 06:06|| 2019-06-17 06:06|| Front Page Top

#2 Obviously there weren't any dry runs.

/pleasedonthitme

Posted by PBMcL 2019-06-17 15:09|| 2019-06-17 15:09|| Front Page Top

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