NRI Student Arrested in Mid-Air Assault

A 28-year-old NRI student, Praneeth Kumar Usiripalli, has been indicted in Boston after allegedly attacking two minors with a metal fork on a Lufthansa flight traveling from Chicago to Frankfurt on October 25. According to court documents, one of the teenagers awoke from sleep to find Usiripalli standing over him before being struck on the clavicle. The accused then turned to another 17-year-old nearby and hit him on the back of the head, causing a deep cut.

When the crew attempted to intervene, prosecutors said Usiripalli displayed erratic and aggressive behavior—gesturing a gun sign toward his own mouth, slapping a female passenger, and attempting to strike a crew member. Due to the escalating violence, the pilots diverted the aircraft to Boston Logan International Airport, where authorities took him into custody immediately upon landing.

Investigators revealed that Usiripalli entered the United States on a student visa but no longer had valid status at the time of the incident. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Prosecutors clarified that the charges are still allegations and that the accused remains presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.