Updated: August 13, 2022 11:57 AM IST 
New York: Salman Rushdie, the author whose writing led to death threats from Iran in the 1980s, was stabbed Friday as he was about to give a lecture in western New York. The 75-year-old author was stabbed multiple times on the neck and abdomen. An Associated Press reporter witnessed a man storm the stage at the Chautauqua Institution and begin attacking Rushdie as he was being introduced. Rushdie was pushed or fell to the floor, and the man was restrained. The attacker, identified as Hadi Matar, was soon held by the security personnel.
In the video that is now doing rounds on social media, Rushdie was seen surrounded by a small group of people moments after the attack who were trying to lift him while a few ran onstage and managed to restrain the assailant.
Hundreds of people in the audience gasped at the sight of the attack and were then evacuated.
#SalmanRushdie just attacked onstage at @chq @NBCNews @ABC @cnnbrk pic.twitter.com/I1XT6AmkhK
— Charles Savenor (@CharlieSavenor) August 12, 2022
Netizens are in shock and can’t fathom what happened in a public event on Saturday. There were several who tweeted saying that they may not agree with what Rushdie says but stabbing someone on stage during a public event is not acceptable. some also called it an attack on freedom of speech.
Author Salman Rushdie will likely lose one eye, his book agent, Andrew Wylie told Reuters. According to Wylie, Rushdie was put on a ventilator after hours of surgery and the nerves in his arms were severed. He added that Rushdie’s liver was stabbed and damaged.
Meanwhile, the New York Police said the suspect who stabbed Rushdie was identified as Hadi Matar (24) from New Jersey. He was arrested by authorities soon after he attacked the author.
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