JK Rowling receives death threat after condemning attack on Salman Rushdie

Renowned writer JK Rowling received an online death threat after condemning the attack on Indian-born novelist Salman Rushdie, prompting Police Scotland to investigate the matter.

Soon after the news broke of the attempt on Rushdie’s life in New York on Friday, the Harry Potter author tweeted, “Feeling very sick right now. Let him be OK”. Someone responded: “don't worry you are next”.

Rowling alerted Twitter support about the threat with a screenshot of the post. She tagged the microblogging platform and said "Any chance of some support?"

The British writer followed it up with another tweet, "To all sending supportive messages: thank you police are involved (were already involved on other threats)".

A Police Scotland spokesperson said the force received “a report of an online threat being made” and enquiries were being carried out.

Rushdie, 75, was scheduled to deliver a lecture on artistic freedom in New York when a man rushed the stage and stabbed him on Friday. However, people at the event intervened and overpowered the attacker who the police later identified as Hadi Matar of Fairview, New Jersey.

The writer was airlifted to a hospital from the venue of the event after the “targeted, unprovoked, pre-planned attack”. He underwent surgeries and reports said he was taken off his ventilator. He was also able to talk following the treatment.

His agent earlier said the novelist was “likely to lose an eye and had nerve damage in his arm and wounds to his liver.”

Iran had announced a bounty on Rushdie’s head after the publication of his novel "The Satanic Verses" in 1988 forcing him to live in hiding for years.

However, it is not clear if the attack was related to Iran's former leader Ayatollah Khomeini’s fatwa calling for Rushdie’s death.

During his court appearance on Saturday, Matar, 24, pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted murder and assault.