Close X
Friday, January 10, 2025
ADVT 
International

Indian-Origin Writer Zainub Priya Dala Attacked In South Africa For Praising Salman Rushdie

Darpan News Desk IANS, 24 Mar, 2015 11:26 AM
    An Indian-origin author attacked in South Africa for praising the controversial writer Salman Rushdie said on Monday that the incident left her traumatised and needing psychiatric help, according to media reports.
     
    Zainub Priya Dala, 40, said she was attacked a day after praising Rushdie's writing style while addressing Chatsworth school children in Durban as part of the Time of the Writer literary festival, the Independent Online reported.
     
    Dala said a car forced her off the road on Wednesday and one of the occupants -- a man -- held a knife to her throat and struck her across her face with a brick.
     
    She said he swore at her, but was reluctant to go into details.
     
    The Independent Online quoted Dala's publisher, Fourie Botha, on Saturday as saying the attacker called her “Rushdie's bitch”.
     
    British Indian author Rushdie's controversial 1988 novel “The Satanic Verses” sparked protests by Muslims in several countries. He received death threats and was named in a 2010 Al Qaeda “hit list” by Islamist militant Anwar al-Awlaki.
     
    Speaking to the Daily News on Monday, Dala said she suffered a fracture to her left cheek bone and that she was seeing a psychiatrist to help her deal with the trauma.
     
    “I am on antibiotics and have taken a tetanus injection. This afternoon (Monday) I went to my doctor to see if the fracture was severe, but was told it's okay,” she said.
     
    The attack occurred a day after her remarks caused a walkout at the Chatsworth Education Centre. 
     
    Chatsworth, a large suburb created in the 1960s to house the Indian-origin population in South Africa, is situated in south Durban basin.
     
    According to police spokesman Thulani Zwane, it was alleged that Dala noticed another vehicle following her on Wednesday at 2 p.m.
     
    “She decided to pull over as she was unsafe. The same vehicle pulled over and the occupants tried to stab her and fled,” Zwane said.

    MORE International ARTICLES

    Indian maid denied salary in Saudi Arabia

    Indian maid denied salary in Saudi Arabia
    An Indian housemaid who has not been paid for six years by her employer in Saudi Arabia is still awaiting her salary in arrears and a final exit home...

    Indian maid denied salary in Saudi Arabia

    1,159 educational institutions soft targets in Islamabad

    1,159 educational institutions soft targets in Islamabad
    Law enforcement agencies have identified 1,159 educational institutes in the Pakistani capital as soft targets for terrorists, the media reported Tuesday....

    1,159 educational institutions soft targets in Islamabad

    Sony hacking: Cyber vandalism or cyber terrorism?

    Sony hacking: Cyber vandalism or cyber terrorism?
    As South Asia was watching the terrible tragedy at Peshawar unfold another drama was coming to head in Hollywood. At the eye of the storm was ‘The Interview’...

    Sony hacking: Cyber vandalism or cyber terrorism?

    Signs of Europa's plumes remain elusive

    Signs of Europa's plumes remain elusive
    A fresh look at data collected by NASA's Cassini spacecraft during its 2001 flyby of Jupiter shows that its moon Europa's tenuous atmosphere is even thinner than previously thought....

    Signs of Europa's plumes remain elusive

    More power to Indian diaspora in US

    More power to Indian diaspora in US
    Notching successes in fields as diverse as poetry and politics, some three million- strong Indian American community packed more power and influence...

    More power to Indian diaspora in US

    IS militants recapture oil refinery town in Iraq

    IS militants recapture oil refinery town in Iraq
    A militant group of the Islamic State (IS) recaptured the oil refinery town of Baiji which was freed recently by the Iraqi security forces, a source from the province of Salahudin said Sunday....

    IS militants recapture oil refinery town in Iraq