The scene was typical of a funeral with the last rites having been performed as per the customs of three major religions after the magician was chained, locked with fifty locks and placed in the coffin on stage in the presence of police officials, district authorities and prominent personalities from various walks of life at the Durbar hall grounds in the city.

The coffin was then lifted on a crane which later placed it at the bottom of a six-foot grave. The grave was then covered and a haystack was placed over it. The haystack was torched and the magician came out of it unscathed in a police officer's uniform before the spellbound audience.

The feat was performed to bring home the theme of communal harmony, Prof Samraj later said. The programme was organised by the Cochin Magic Society as a prelude to the forthcoming two-daynational magicians convention here on Feb 9 and 10.