A 39-year-old Indian man, Krishna Kunapuli, was taken into custody at Logan Airport on Monday, following allegations of inappropriate behavior towards a fellow passenger on an Etihad Airlines flight from Abu Dhabi to Boston.
The charges against him include making unsolicited advances, non-consensual touching, and public masturbation, all of which are considered lewd, indecent, or obscene acts.
As reported by Boston.com, the sequence of events leading to Kunapuli's arrest was detailed in a sworn affidavit by an FBI agent, submitted to the federal court. The female passenger, who was seated in an aisle with two vacant seats, consented to Kunapuli's request to sit next to her while he waited for the restroom. The conversation that ensued, however, quickly escalated from casual small talk to inappropriate advances.
Kunapuli allegedly began to flatter the woman's appearance, propositioning her to spend the night with him in Boston. He offered her a "gift" of $5,000 and boasted about his affluence. The affidavit states that he then proceeded to touch the woman's hair, repeatedly complimenting her beauty.
The woman, who was struggling to connect her phone to the in-flight Wi-Fi, decided to seek assistance from a crew member in the galley area. This move was also intended to distance herself from Kunapuli. However, he purportedly followed her, continuing his unsolicited compliments and touching her hair. Despite her repeated requests for him to stop, Kunapuli disregarded her pleas, as per the affidavit.
A crew member, who initially mistook Kunapuli and the woman for a couple due to his observation of Kunapuli touching the woman's breast, intervened when he noticed the woman's discomfort. Upon learning about the situation, he instructed both individuals to return to their separate seats.
Another passenger seated near Kunapuli reported to investigators that he observed Kunapuli with a blanket over his lap, seemingly engrossed in his phone. The passenger grew suspicious of Kunapuli's actions, which culminated in the sight of Kunapuli's exposed genitals. This incident lasted approximately 10 minutes, according to the affidavit.
A separate passenger, who had been asleep for the initial part of the flight, woke up to find Kunapuli allegedly masturbating and exposing himself. The passenger attempted to disrupt the act by "making exaggerated movements, such as shaking out his blanket," as stated in the affidavit. Despite this, Kunapuli continued his actions, prompting the passenger to report the incident to a crew member and subsequently move to a different seat.
Upon being informed of Kunapuli's actions, a crew member confronted him. Kunapuli promptly zipped up his pants and apologized. The crew member recognized him as the same individual who had been making unwelcome advances towards the female passenger earlier in the flight.
Upon landing at Logan Airport, Kunapuli was identified by the crew members to FBI agents and State Police troopers, who removed him from the plane. During the subsequent interview, Kunapuli confessed to masturbating during the flight, as per the affidavit. He was subsequently arrested and is currently in federal custody.
The incident underscores the importance of ensuring passenger safety and comfort during flights, and the need for swift and decisive action in response to any form of harassment or inappropriate behavior. It also serves as a stark reminder of the potential consequences of such actions, with Kunapuli now facing serious charges for his alleged conduct.
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