Rajasthan Police invented plot to keep me away: Rushdie
January 22nd, 2012 - 12:00 pm ICT by IANSJaipur, Jan 22 (IANS) Controversial author Salman Rushdie Sunday said the Rajasthan Police “invented” a plot to keep him away from the Jaipur Literature Festival by claiming they received a call from Mumbai underworld about him being killed if he visits the event.
“‘Rajasthan police invented plot to keep away Rushdie’ I’ve investigated, & believe that I was indeed lied to. I am outraged and very angry,” the writer of the banned “The Satanic Verses” posted on Twitter.
The Rajasthan Police refused to comment on Rushdie’s charge that it had concocted the story about assassins from the Mumbai underworld hired to kill him in Jaipur.
Sources in the police said they had intelligence about threat to the author.
Rushdie Friday announced that he had called off his visit to the Jaipur Literature Festival after intelligence sources told him that paid assassins from the Mumbai underworld were out to kill him.
“For the last several days I have made no public comment about my proposed trip to Jaipur at the request of the authorities in Rajasthan, hoping that they would put in place such precautions as might be necessary to allow me to come and address the Festival audience in circumstances that were comfortable and safe for all,” Rushdie then said in a statement read out by the organisers of the festival.
“I have now been informed by intelligence sources in Maharashtra and Rajasthan that paid assassins from the Mumbai underworld may be on their way to Jaipur to ‘eliminate’ me,” he had said.
- Rajasthan Police lied, tweets angry Rushdie (Lead) - Jan 22, 2012
- Concoted death threat? Rushdie is wrong: Gehlot - Jan 22, 2012
- Underworld threat to Rushdie? Mumbai police deny information - Jan 21, 2012
- Rushdie to address lit fest via videolink - Jan 24, 2012
- Rushdie may speak at Jaipur fest - via video - Jan 23, 2012
- Rushdie won't be attending Jaipur fest - Jan 20, 2012
- Rushdie cites threats to life, calls off Jaipur visit (Lead) - Jan 20, 2012
- Rushdie to speak via video on 'Midnight's Children' (Second Lead) - Jan 23, 2012
- Rushdie likely to address Jaipur fest via video (Lead) - Jan 23, 2012
- Mixed reactions to Rushdie's decision to skip LitFest - Jan 20, 2012
- Rushdie cites threat to life, cancels Jaipur visit (Second Lead) - Jan 20, 2012
- Rushdie to address lit fest after all(Lead) - Jan 24, 2012
- Uncertainty looms over Rushdie's video address (Lead) - Jan 23, 2012
- Rajasthan Police lied, tweets Rushdie; Gehlot fumes (Second Lead) - Jan 22, 2012
- Fresh shadow on Rushdie's address after protests (Second Lead) - Jan 24, 2012
Tags: assassins, audience, author rushdie, author salman rushdie, authorities, circumstances, controversial author, intelligence sources, literature festival, maharashtra, organisers, public comment, salman rushdie, satanic verses, underworld