Indian National Charged After Stabbing Teens on Lufthansa From Chicago

(BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS) A Lufthansa transatlantic flight from Chicago to Frankfurt diverted to Boston on October 25, 2025, after authorities say a passenger attacked teenagers with a metal fork midair, prompting an emergency response at Logan International Airport and federal charges that could carry a decade in prison. The incident unfolded aboard Lufthansa Flight 431, which left Chicago O’Hare International Airport bound for Frankfurt am Main, Germany, before the captain diverted to Boston Logan International Airport due to the disturbance.

Federal prosecutors identified the suspect as 28-year-old Indian national Praneeth Kumar Usiripalli, who was previously admitted to the United States on a student visa but does not currently have lawful immigration status. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, Usiripalli allegedly stabbed two 17-year-old male passengers with a metal fork during the flight. Investigators say one teen was stabbed in the shoulder, and the other in the back of the head, causing a laceration. Authorities say he also slapped a female passenger and attempted to slap a flight crew member during the incident before the plane diverted to Boston. He was arrested on October 25 after the aircraft landed.

Usiripalli is charged with one count of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm while traveling on an aircraft, a federal offense. Prosecutors say the charge stems from the alleged stabbing and the broader disruption aboard Lufthansa Flight 431. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. The U.S. Attorney’s Office said he is expected to appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.

The airline confirmed that the flight diverted because of an unruly passenger and said it provided hotel accommodations for affected travelers and rebooked them on the next available flights. While Lufthansa expressed regret for the disruption and inconvenience, officials did not release further details about the passengers who were injured or the sequence of events in the cabin leading up to the diversion. The immediate focus, the airline indicated, was the safety of the passengers and crew and arranging onward travel after the unscheduled landing in Boston.

The diversion and arrest bring the case squarely into federal jurisdiction, where prosecutors have outlined a straightforward but serious narrative: a transatlantic flight with hundreds of passengers, a midair disturbance involving a weapon, and injured minors who were allegedly attacked without warning. The account from authorities states that the stabbing involved a metal fork, that one teen suffered a head laceration, and that the suspect also slapped a woman and tried to slap a member of the flight crew. Those details underscore why the captain diverted and why the U.S. Attorney’s Office moved quickly to file an assault charge tied directly to conduct aboard an aircraft.

In the immediate aftermath, passengers were taken off the aircraft in Boston, and the airline set about rebooking travelers whose plans were upended by the diversion. Lufthansa said hotels were arranged for those who could not continue the same day and that it regretted the inconvenience caused by the unruly passenger. For many, the interruption meant missed connections in Germany and hastily rearranged itineraries across Europe and beyond, a common ripple effect when a transatlantic flight such as Lufthansa Flight 431 is forced to land short of its destination.

Authorities have not released the names of the injured teens, and there is no further public information about their medical treatment beyond the laceration and shoulder injury described by prosecutors. The criminal complaint centers on the alleged use of a metal implement as a weapon inside the cabin and the sequence of alleged assaults, including the slap and the attempted slap directed at the crew. The charge of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm while traveling on an aircraft captures the federal interest in maintaining safety aboard flights and the seriousness with which such alleged conduct is treated.

Usiripalli’s immigration history is noted in the government’s account. Prosecutors say he was previously admitted to the United States on a student visa but currently lacks lawful immigration status. That detail does not change the criminal charge he faces, but it adds another layer to a case that will move forward in federal court in Boston. The U.S. Attorney’s Office made the status point explicit in its public summary, alongside the description of the alleged assaults and the potential penalties. No additional immigration actions have been announced, and the case, as outlined by prosecutors, is focused at this stage on the alleged criminal conduct aboard the aircraft.

The disruption to the flight was significant: a Chicago-to-Frankfurt route typically chosen by business travelers, students, and families connecting through Germany to other destinations, brought to an unscheduled stop in Boston because of what was described as an unruly passenger. The decision to divert, standard in serious onboard disturbances, brought the incident within reach of federal law enforcement and prosecutors in Massachusetts. The government’s filing notes the injuries—one to the shoulder, one to the head—and the attempted assault on a crew member as key events during the flight. It also highlights the use of a metal fork as the alleged weapon, a detail that aligns with the charge of assault with a dangerous weapon.

As the case proceeds, the central questions will be decided in a federal courtroom, where prosecutors have laid out a maximum potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison, plus up to three years of supervised release and a fine that could reach $250,000. Those figures reflect the statutory exposure for the single count cited by the government. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has not announced a date for Usiripalli’s first appearance, saying only that he is expected to appear in federal court in Boston at a later time.

Lufthansa, for its part, has emphasized that safety is the top priority and that it took immediate steps to care for passengers after the diversion. The airline’s reference to hotel accommodations and rebooking suggests an overnight or extended delay for many travelers as operations were rearranged around the unscheduled stop. Flights of this length and routing typically operate on tight schedules, and the timing of a diversion can ripple through the airline’s network, with aircraft and crews out of their planned positions. In this case, Lufthansa Flight 431’s passengers were offered lodgings and placed on the next available flights once the situation was stabilized on the ground in Boston.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts publicly detailed the allegations, the charge, and the penalties, framing the case as a straightforward application of the law to alleged violent conduct onboard an aircraft. The office’s summary also made clear that the case remains an allegation at this stage, with the defendant presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Officials did not elaborate beyond those core points, and there were no direct quotes released in connection with their announcement. The government’s public materials reflect a measured presentation of the basic facts: the date, the flight, the diversion, the arrests, the injuries, the charge, and the maximum penalties allowed by law.

The incident has drawn attention because of the involvement of minors, the reported use of a metal fork in a confined cabin, and the decision to divert a major international route into Boston. It also prompted discussion around in-flight conduct and the role of flight crews in de-escalating incidents and seeking early diversions when safety is in doubt. While the authorities have described an attempted slap aimed at a crew member, their materials refrain from broader commentary about crew procedures or training, focusing instead on the conduct alleged and the legal steps taken after the plane landed.

Travelers on board encountered an abrupt change of plans as Boston Logan International Airport became their unexpected arrival point. The most direct impacts were felt by those injured and by nearby passengers during the disturbance. Beyond the immediate cabin, the airline’s network absorbed the operational costs of the diversion and the customer service work of arranging hotels and rebookings, all of which Lufthansa acknowledged when it confirmed the diversion and apologized for the inconvenience. For the two 17-year-olds who were reportedly stabbed, the government’s account records the physical injuries—one to the shoulder, one to the back of the head—and, by implication, the shock of an incident that turned an overnight transatlantic crossing into a criminal investigation.

As prosecutors move forward, the case will likely hinge on the government’s description of events aboard Lufthansa Flight 431 and the evidence supporting the allegation that Praneeth Kumar Usiripalli committed assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm while traveling on an aircraft. The potential penalties outlined by the U.S. Attorney’s Office underscore the seriousness with which federal law treats violence on board. For official updates, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts maintains public information on cases and announcements on its website, which can be found at the U.S. Department of Justice’s U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.

Readers who track immigration-related developments in criminal cases often follow outlets that compile official updates and public records; resources such as VisaVerge.com are among those that cover immigration status issues referenced in public filings. While the criminal complaint here centers on the alleged stabbing, the government’s materials also note that Usiripalli previously held a student visa and is currently without lawful immigration status, a detail included alongside the flight diversion, the alleged assaults, and the single federal charge now pending in Boston.