Magician performs record-breaking underwater escape

May 13, 2007, 12:31 GMT

Hyderabad, May 13 (IANS) He was handcuffed, tied with a chain, wrapped in a sack and locked in a wooden box, which was then dropped into the Hussain Sagar Lake. Fifteen seconds later he emerged from the water to the cheers of an enthusiastic crowd.

Jadugar Akash claimed to have set a new world record Sunday, surpassing the feat achieved by his father Jadugar Anand, who had escaped from similar shackles in 40 seconds. Anand had performed his feat in the Narmda river at Jabalpur in 1970.

Anand, who was also present to watch his son's performance, said this was only the third underwater escape. Magician Harry Houdini, known as handcuffed king, performed the trick for the first time in 1912 in New York and took one minute to escape.

Hundreds of people watched Akash's breathtaking performance from boats in the lake, which divides the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.

On one of the boats, Akash was first handcuffed and chained by his assistants. He was then sealed in a sack, which was then kept in a huge wooden box. The box was locked and sealed with thick ropes. About a dozen people then held the box with ropes with about three feet of it dropping in the water. Akash was seen emerging from water in 15 seconds and swimming to another boat.

Talking to reporters, he said it was magic - a mix of illusion and hypnotism. Akash said the feat also depended on the capability of the performer. He said he swims everyday and undergoes rigorous physical exercise.

Akash had earlier performed daredevil acts like escaping from an inferno after being dropped into it with hands and legs chained and riding blindfolded on a motorcycle on busy city roads.

© 2007 Indo-Asian News Service