Indian national charged with stabbing teens on Lufthansa flight from Chicago

An Indian national has been charged with assault after allegedly stabbing two teenage passengers with a metal fork during a Lufthansa flight from Chicago to Germany, according to prosecutors.

The incident occurred on Saturday while Lufthansa Flight 431 was en route to Frankfurt, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts. The plane was diverted to Boston Logan International Airport, where the suspect, 28-year-old Praneeth Kumar Usiripalli, was arrested.

Usiripalli has been charged with assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm while traveling on an aircraft under U.S. jurisdiction.

According to court documents, Usiripalli allegedly stabbed a 17-year-old boy in the shoulder while the victim was sleeping, then attacked a second 17-year-old boy seated nearby, striking him in the back of the head with the same fork. The second victim sustained a head laceration.

Prosecutors said that when flight attendants intervened, Usiripalli made a gun gesture with his hand, placed it in his mouth, and pretended to pull the trigger before slapping a woman sitting next to him and attempting to strike a crew member.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Usiripalli had previously entered the country on a student visa and was most recently enrolled in a master’s program in biblical studies, but no longer has lawful immigration status.

If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.