Representational Image | Photo Credit: ANI

Kolkata: A magician drowned on Sunday while performing an underwater live stunt in the Ganga river in Kolkata like legendary magician of escape games Harry Houdini.

Chanchal Lahiri was tied up with steel chains and ropes and lowered into the river from Millenium Park. The magician, however, disappeared near pillar number 28 of the Howrah Bridge. His body was found on Tuesday morning.

Lahiri, whose stage name was "Jadugar Mandrake" was reportedly drowned as he did not come out of the river while his family, police and onlookers waited for him at the bank of the river.

Ahead of performing the stunt, Lahiri had reportedly said, "If I can open it up then it will be magic, but if I can't it will be tragic.”

The police launched a search operation along with Disaster Management Group to find the magician.

The magician had reportedly taken permission for the stunt, however, there were no proper security measures with him.

Lahiri was picked up from a boat by a crane, stationed on the Howrah Bridge and then lowered into the river. He was supposed to untie himself on his own and come up from water.

However, the people waiting for him started to panic after the magician did not come out of water after more than ten minutes. The onlookers informed the local North Port police station about the situation and sought their help to spot Lahiri.

The 40-year-old magician had earlier successfully performed a similar magic trick at the same venue 21 years ago.

"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 had told AFP.