Salman Rushdie on ventilator and will likely lose an eye after attack, his agent says

The Satanic Verses author cannot speak and the nerves in his arm are severed, his agent said

Salman Rushdie is currently on a ventilator in hospital, his agent has said. (AFP via Getty Images)

Salman Rushdie is currently on a ventilator and will likely lose an eye following an attack at a literary event in New York, his agent has said.

The author cannot speak and the nerves in his arm are severed, Andrew Wylie told Reuters in a written statement.

“The news is not good,” Mr Wylie wrote. “Salman will likely lose one eye; the nerves in his arm were severed; and his liver was stabbed and damaged.”

Sir Salman is undergoing surgery after he was stabbed while on stage at a book event in New York.

Hadi Matar, 24, of New Jersey, has been taken into custody after he allegedly stormed the stage and stabbed the author at least once in the neck and abdomen at the Chautauqua Institution.

Sir Salman has lived with a bounty on his head since the late 1980s when Iranian religious leader Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa against him.

Author Salman Rushdie is tended to after he was attacked in New York (AP)

Stunned attendees at Friday’s literary event helped wrestle the attacker from Sir Salman, according to reports.

A New York State police trooper, who had been providing security at the event, arrested the assailant.

“A man jumped up on the stage from I don’t know where and started what looked like beating him on the chest, repeated fist strokes into his chest and neck,” said Bradley Fisher, who was in the audience.

“People were screaming and crying out and gasping.”

A doctor in the audience helped tend to Sir Salman while they waited for the emergency services to arrive, police said.

The 75-year-old author was then airlifted to hospital in Erie, Pennsylvania.

Police are still unsure about the motive for the attack and believe the suspect was acting alone.