The 40-year-old Lahiri, who was known by his stage name "Jadugar Mandrake" (Wizard Mandrake), was lowered by winch into the river in Kolkata on Sunday in a yellow and red costume. But Lahiri - his legs and his arms tightly bound - failed to emerge from the water, to the horror of onlookers including his family and team members. Authorities had initially believed that the vanishing act could be part of the stunt but immediately mobilised help to rescue him.

The police on Monday recovered the body of a magician who drowned while trying to replicate an underwater Harry Houdini-inspired stunt - tying himself up with chains and ropes and being lowered into a river.

The rescue workers found the body of Chanchal Lahiri late on Monday in the Hooghly river, the deputy commissioner of the port division of Kolkata police, Syed Waquar Raza said.

The 40-year-old Lahiri, who was known by his stage name "Jadugar Mandrake" (Wizard Mandrake), was lowered by winch into the river in Kolkata on Sunday in a yellow and red costume. But Lahiri - his legs and his arms tightly bound - failed to emerge from the water, to the horror of onlookers including his family and team members. Authorities had initially believed that the vanishing act could be part of the stunt but immediately mobilised help to rescue him.

The police on Monday recovered the body of a magician who drowned while trying to replicate an underwater Harry Houdini-inspired stunt - tying himself up with chains and ropes and being lowered into a river.

The rescue workers found the body of Chanchal Lahiri late on Monday in the Hooghly river, the deputy commissioner of the port division of Kolkata police, Syed Waquar Raza said.