An Indian national studying in the United States has been charged after allegedly stabbing two 17-year-old passengers with a metal fork on board a Lufthansa flight from Chicago to Frankfurt, forcing the aircraft to divert to Boston.
Praneeth Kumar Usiripalli, 28, faces one count of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm while travelling on an aircraft under U.S. jurisdiction. He was arrested upon landing at Boston Logan International Airport on 25 October 2025 and will appear in federal court at a later date.
According to charging documents, the incident unfolded shortly after meal service when one of the teenagers awoke to find Usiripalli standing over him. He allegedly struck the boy in the shoulder with a fork before lunging at a second teen seated beside him and stabbing the back of his head, leaving a laceration.
Flight crew members intervened, but prosecutors say Usiripalli reacted by mimicking a gun gesture — placing his fingers in his mouth and pretending to pull a trigger — before allegedly slapping a female passenger and attempting to strike a crew member.
The disturbance prompted the captain to divert the international flight to Boston, where federal authorities took Usiripalli into custody.
Lufthansa later confirmed the diversion was due to “the behaviour of an unruly passenger,” adding that passengers were rebooked and offered hotel accommodation.
“We sincerely regret the inconvenience this situation has caused and appreciate our passengers’ patience and understanding. … The safety and well-being of our passengers and crew are always Lufthansa’s highest priority.”
Prosecutors said Usiripalli was previously admitted to the U.S. on a student visa and had been enrolled in a master’s programme in biblical studies, but currently lacks lawful status in the country.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to US$250,000. The U.S. Attorney’s Office stressed that the allegations have yet to be proven in court and that the defendant remains presumed innocent.
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