Update: Body of Indian stuntman who vanished after being lowered into a river while tied in chains has been discovered by police

The body of the Indian stuntman who vanished after being lowered into a river while tied up with chains and ropes in a Houdini-inspired stunt has been discovered by police.
This comes after Officers previously said he was feared drowned after performing the Houdini-inspired stunt in the Hooghly river.

Before his trick, he said: 'If I can free myself it will be magic, if I cannot it will be tragic.' But the 40-year-old failed to emerge from the water, sparking an immediate search by authorities.



Rescue workers have been scouring the fast-flowing murky waters since Sunday but he is yet to be found, said Syed Waquar Raza of the river traffic police.

'We fear he drowned in the river,' he said.

Sumit Kharbanda, president of the Indian Brotherhood of Magicians in Delhi, said Lahiri had performed the same stunt successfully at least a dozen times. He was reportedly almost attacked by a mob in 2013 when he performed the same stunt and spectators believed he had cheated.

“He used to practise in swimming pools and rivers,” said Kharbanda. “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.