Author Salman Rushdie was stabbed in his neck at an event in New York on Friday.
According to sources, a man stormed the stage at the Chautauqua Institution and stabbed Rushdie over “10 to15” times. The author fell to the floor immediately, and the attacker was restrained. A small group of people surrounded the author, holding up his legs, presumably to send more blood to his chest.
Later, the New York Police released a statement saying that Rushdie was stabbed in the neck and said that Rushdie was taken to an area hospital by helicopter. The attacker is in custody, police said, not sharing further details.
"A male suspect ran up onto stage at a speaking event and attacked Salman Rushdie and an interviewer at 11 am (local time), today in Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua. Rushdie suffered an apparent stab wound to his neck and was transported by helicopter to a hospital," the police said.
It must be noted that the author’s writings have in the past led to death threats on several occasions. He faced death threats particularly in the late 1980s over his book ‘The Satanic Verses’, which is banned in Iran since 1988 as it is allegedly blasphemous.
