New York: An Indian student has been charged with assaulting passengers aboard a transatlantic flight after allegedly attacking two teenagers and a woman mid-air, US federal prosecutors in Boston said on Monday.
Praneeth Kumar Usiripalli, 28, reportedly lost his lawful visa status in the United States and was travelling on a Chicago-Frankfurt flight when the incident occurred. Following the meal service, he allegedly stabbed one 17-year-old boy in the shoulder and another in the back of the head using a metal fork. He also slapped a woman and attempted to strike a member of the flight crew.
The aircraft was diverted to Boston, where Usiripalli was arrested. Prosecutors said that during efforts to restrain him, he mimicked a firearm gesture, placed his fingers in his mouth, and pretended to pull the trigger.
Authorities did not disclose a motive for the attack but confirmed that Usiripalli had entered the US on a student visa and was enrolled in a master’s programme in biblical studies. While the institution was not officially named, a LinkedIn profile matching his name lists him as a student at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago.
If convicted of assault aboard an aircraft with a dangerous weapon and intent to cause bodily harm, Usiripalli faces up to ten years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
(Inputs from IANS)