Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (UM)
Udupi, Feb 22: Anxious moments were witnessed at Christian High School‐PU College Ground as thousands waited in bated breath for world renowned escape artiste Dean Gunnarson to emerge out of the spot where he was buried in a heavy iron box 24 hours ago.
At around 6.45 pm, the ventilation and others pipes were taken out. At exactly 6.56 pm, Gunnarson's hand popped out of the mud, and sigh of relief and jubilation waded across the venue.
Though Gunnarson was equipped with oxygen supply and ventilation pipes, what makes this feat remarkable is the fact that his hands and legs were chained and secured in four locks, and he was inside an iron box weighing 300 kg, buried six feet below the ground. After remaining their for almost 24 hours, he freed himself from the chains and the box all by himself and dug his way out of the ground.
The mud was then dug out and Dean Gunnarson emerged amid loud cheering and deafeaning applause from the crowd. He was examined by doctors who were on standby.
Gunnarson thanked the spectators for their support and also Shankar and Shankar Junior who organized the event. He said he was tired, but happy and thirsty as well as hungry, as he was without any food or water under the ground.
Steaming idlis and soup along with 'gulab jamoon' sweet were kept ready for him, and appreciating the food, he said he loves Indian cuisine.
Speaking about his experience underground, he said he felt a sense of freedom coming out of the ground after 24 hours, and added that while chained in the box, he remembered his family. He also said it was dark and sweaty inside, as he was not used to hot temperatures back in Canada at this time of the year.
Deputy commissioner R Vishal and others were present.
A screen was placed at the venue to watch the event live.
On Saturday when after he was 'buried', people flocked to the spot in hundreds. The crowd was thick at 11 pm, and even on Sunday morning and throughout the day, people came and conversed with Gunnarson communication devices set up for the purpose. Gunnarson himself was equipped with a microphone in the box.