A 28-year-old Indian national has been charged in the United States for allegedly assaulting two teenage passengers with a metal fork and slapping another passenger aboard a Lufthansa flight traveling from Chicago to Germany. US authorities confirmed the charges following the disruptive incident.
The disturbance occurred on October 25 aboard the Lufthansa flight. In response to the unruly behavior, the aircraft was rerouted and landed at Boston Logan International Airport. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts released details about the incident on Monday.
Court documents reveal that the accused, identified as Praneeth Kumar Usiripalli, used a metal fork to stab a 17-year-old male passenger in the shoulder and another 17-year-old male passenger in the back of the head, causing a laceration.
Flight crew members attempted to de-escalate the situation. During these efforts, Usiripalli allegedly made a “gun gesture” with his fingers, placed it in his mouth, and simulated pulling an imaginary trigger, according to the attorney’s office statement.
The disruptive behavior escalated when Usiripalli reportedly turned to a female passenger seated next to him and slapped her. He also allegedly attempted to slap a flight crew member.
Usiripalli has been formally charged with assault with a dangerous weapon with the intent to cause bodily harm while aboard an aircraft. He was taken into custody on October 25 and is scheduled to appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.
It has been reported that Usiripalli is currently in the U.S. without lawful immigration status. Previously, he had held a student visa and was pursuing a master’s degree in biblical studies.
If found guilty, Usiripalli faces a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.