Telugu student held in US for mid-air fork attack on teenagers

A Telugu person has been charged in the United States for allegedly stabbing two teenage passengers with a metal fork during a Lufthansa flight from Chicago to Frankfurt, forcing the aircraft to divert to Boston.

The accused, identified as Praneeth Kumar Usiripalli, 28, was arrested on October 25, 2025 and charged in the U.S. District Court with assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to cause bodily harm while travelling on an aircraft. He is expected to appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.

As per the professional profile, Usiripalli is a student at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago since 2022. Court filings revealed that Usiripalli, who entered the U.S. on a student visa, has been pursuing a master’s degree in biblical studies. He currently does not have lawful status in the United States. A search of his social media profiles also revealed a YouTube channel by the name ‘Palson Pranith’ with two subscribers and no videos.

The incident was reported on Lufthansa Flight 431 shortly after meal service. Usiripalli allegedly attacked a 17-year-old boy seated beside him, stabbing him in the shoulder with a metal fork. He then reportedly lunged at another 17-year-old passenger seated nearby and stabbed him in the back of the head, leaving the teenager with a laceration.

As flight attendants and passengers tried to restrain him, Usiripalli allegedly mimed shooting himself by forming a gun shape with his fingers and pretending to pull the trigger. He then turned towards a female passenger and slapped her, before attempting to strike a member of the cabin crew.

The disturbance led the pilots to divert the aircraft to Boston Logan International Airport, where Usiripalli was detained by law enforcement officers upon landing.

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