Telugu Student Gets 10 Yr Jail, 2 Cr Fine: What Happened?

The primary purpose that the Telugu students go to the United States is to complete their studies and get better employment opportunities. But a few students cross the line and face the lethal consequences, and here is one such story.

An Indian NRI student, Praneeth Kumar Usiripalli, has landed in serious legal trouble in the United States after a violent mid-air incident on a Lufthansa flight traveling from Chicago to Frankfurt.

According to federal authorities, the student allegedly attacked two seventeen year old boys using a metal fork provided during the in flight meal service. One teenager was reportedly stabbed near the left collarbone, while the other suffered a cut on the back of his head.

The situation escalated quickly, forcing cabin crew to intervene, but the student is said to have behaved aggressively toward them as well, even attempting to slap a crew member and a female passenger.

The disturbance led to the aircraft being diverted to Boston, where US federal agents arrested him. He has now been charged with two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon.

Each charge carries the possibility of up to ten years in prison and a significant financial penalty. Reports suggest the fine could reach close to two crore rupees when converted from the maximum quarter million dollar penalty.

The case has shocked the Indian community in the US, as many are trying to understand what triggered such extreme behavior on a routine international flight.