In a shocking incident, an Indian man has been charged in the Unites States for allegedly stabbing two teenagers with a metal fork and slapping a passenger aboard a Lufthansa flight traveling from Chicago to Germany. The US Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts in a statement confirmed the incident.
The accused has been identified as Praneeth Kumar Usiripalli, 28, who stabbed a 17-year-old passenger in the shoulder with a metal fork and then subsequently attacked another 17-year-old, stabbing him in the back of the head with the same fork. He was arrested on Saturday, October and produced before federal court in Boston.
The US Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts said, “Praneeth Kumar Usiripalli, 28, is charged in U.S. District Court with one count of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm while traveling on an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States. Usiripalli was arrested on Oct. 25, 2025 and will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.”
About the Incident
According to authorities, after the meal service, the first boy was lightly sleeping in a middle seat when he allegedly awoke to see Usiripalli standing over him. Usiripalli allegedly struck him in the left clavicle area with a metal fork using his right hand. He then allegedly lunged toward another boy, who was seated to the first boy’s right in a middle seat in the center row of the aircraft, and struck him in the back of the head with the fork, causing a laceration.
When crew members tried to subdue Usiripalli, he allegedly raised his hand, mimicked a gun with his fingers, put it in his mouth, and pulled an imaginary trigger. He then immediately turned to a female passenger on his left and slapped her, and also attempted to slap a flight crew member.
Usiripalli Arrested
Following the disturbance, the flight was diverted to Boston Logan International Airport and Usiripalli was immediately taken into custody. Usiripalli was admitted to the US on a student visa and was enrolled in a master’s program in biblical studies.
