Agent gives update on Salman Rushdie, says author has lost one eye

Andrew Wylie, agent to Salman Rushdie, says the renowned British-Indian author has lost vision in one of his eyes.  

Wylie said Rushdie has been unable to move one of his hands due to the nerves in the arm being severed.

The agent said this on Saturday in an interview with El País, a Madrid-based newspaper. 

While Wylie did not disclose Rushdie’s whereabouts, he said the author has about 15 more wounds in his chest. 

“His wounds were deep.” He had three heavy ones on his neck. “And he’s got about 15 other wounds in his chest and upper body, so it was a brutal attack,” Wylie said. 

In August, TheCable reported that Rushdie was attacked while he was about to deliver a lecture at a literary event at the Chautauqua Institution in New York.

Rushdie, the author of the controversial novel, The Satanic Verses, was approached by a man on the stage who attacked him in what appeared to be “punches or stabs”.

Since then, Rushdie has been on the mend. 

Days later, Hadi Matar, a 24-year-old man, was arraigned in court for allegedly stabbing Rushdie.

Matar was remanded in Chautauqua County prison in New York.

TheCable also reported how Matar said he was surprised when he heard the author survived the stabbing.

“When I heard he survived, I was surprised, I guess. He’s someone who attacked Islam, he attacked their beliefs, the belief systems,” Matar was quoted as saying.

The Satanic Verses, a novel published in 1988 and based on magical realism, but with references that challenge Islamic beliefs, sparked controversy and led to violent protests in some countries.