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A man flying from Abu Dhabi to Boston relentlessly hit on a woman sitting in a nearby row, grabbed her breasts, and snapped photos of her without permission, then — after she rebuffed his crude advances — proceeded to masturbate in full view of at least two other passengers, according to a criminal complaint filed in Massachusetts federal court.
Etihad Airways passenger Krishna Kunapuli, 39, was spotted “actively masturbating” during the 14-hour journey, prompting the flight crew to notify law enforcement, states an FBI affidavit attached to the complaint.
Kunapuli, an Indian national, does not yet have an attorney listed in court records and was not able to be reached for comment on Tuesday. Etihad Airways did not immediately respond to The Independent’s request for comment.
Flight EY7 left the UAE on October 21, with Kunapuli in seat 38A, by the window, according to the affidavit. About four hours into the flight, Kunapuli wandered down the aisle and spotted a woman in seat 44G, an aisle, without anyone in the two seats next to her, the affidavit continues. It says Kunapuli asked if he could sit in one of the empty seats while he waited for the lavatory, and the woman, who is not identified by name in court filings, agreed.
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Krishna Kunapuli allegedly couldn’t control his basest impulses while headed to Boston (Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Kunapuli soon started “complimenting [the passenger] on her looks, telling her that she was beautiful,” the affidavit goes on, adding that Kunapuli “bragged about his wealth” and asked the woman “if she would spend the night with him in Boston, and offered to give her $5,000 as a gift.”
“Kunapuli then started to touch [the woman’s] hair and brush it with his fingers back from her face while repeating that [she] was beautiful,” the affidavit alleges. “[The woman] wanted to get away from Kunapuli. She was also having problems with her phone’s in-flight Wi-Fi connection.”
Using the Wi-Fi issue as an excuse, the passenger got up and went to the aft galley to find a flight attendant. Kunapuli followed her there, and continued to hit on her and stroke her hair, the affidavit continues. The woman told Kunapuli to stop touching her and step away, but he alternately ignored her or apologized, then started all over again, according to the affidavit. Eventually, the affidavit says, a flight attendant arrived in the galley and spotted the two, assuming they were “a romantically involved couple… because he saw… Kunapuli grabbing or touching [the woman’s] left breast.”
However, the flight attendant quickly realized that something was amiss, as the woman kept backing away from Kunapuli when he reached for her, the affidavit contends. It says the crew member also noticed Kunapuli was taking pictures of the woman without her permission, after which the woman told her she didn’t know Kunapuli and that he had been subjecting her to unwanted advances. So, the crew member told Kunapuli to return to his own seat, six rows in front of the woman’s, and directed the woman back to hers, according to the affidavit.
The Etihad crew told authorities they tried, but failed, to get Krishna Kunapuli to stop touching himself (Getty Images)
Once Kunapuli returned to his seat in row 38, a man sitting one seat over saw Kunapuli watching something on his phone, with a blanket covering his lap, the affidavit states.
“Passenger 2 observed that there was movement under Kunapuli’s blanket,” the affidavit alleges. “Passenger 2 eventually came to suspect that Kunapuli was masturbating under the blanket. Passenger 2 tried to ignore the situation, but eventually saw that Kunapuli’s blanket had moved and that Kunapuli’s penis was exposed and Kunapuli was still masturbating.”
This went on for about 10 minutes, the passenger, who was allowed to relocate to a different seat for the remaining 10 hours of the flight, later told authorities.
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A third passenger unsuccessfully attempted to interrupt Kunapuli and eventually alerted a crew member after trying to disregard the behavior, according to the affidavit.
Krishna Kunapuli was arrested upon arrival at Boston Logan International Airport (AFP via Getty Images)
Unable to turn a blind eye to what was happening, a flight attendant confronted Kunapuli and demanded he stop, to which a “startled” Kunapuli apologized and zipped up his trousers, it contends.
The Etihad crew notified law enforcement, and FBI agents, along with Massachusetts State Police investigators, met the plane upon landing at Boston Logan International Airport. Flight attendants identified Kunapuli as the culprit, and he was removed from the aircraft, according to the affidavit. Under questioning, it concludes, Kunapuli “admitted to investigators that he did, in fact, masturbate while in his seat on EY7.”
In 2022, a man aboard a Southwest Airlines flight from Seattle to Phoenix was hit with federal charges for masturbating at least four times during the three-hour trip, later telling police he thought his vulgar actions were “kind of kinky.”
Kunapuli remains in custody as of Tuesday morning, and is due to appear in court on Tuesday afternoon, according to court records. He faces one count of lewd, indecent and obscene acts while in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States, and, if convicted, up to 90 days in prison.
The club, in a statement posted on Instagram on Tuesday, said it was “deeply saddened” by Colon’s death and that employees at the nightclub rushed to her aid.
“Our staff responded immediately and called emergency services while an off-duty EMT rendered first aid,” it said. “We are cooperating fully with all inquiries from law enforcement and city officials who are reviewing this medical episode.”
When police arrived at theWarrenton Street venue, they found a personlying on the dance floor, unresponsive and without a pulse, according to an incident report. They began performing chest compressions with the help of a cashier at the club who said she worked as an EMT.
Police said in the report that the large crowd inside the club did not comply with orders to give space to emergency medical personnel. Eventually, officers ordered the club to shut down and told patrons to leave immediately.
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The woman, whose age was not disclosed, was then taken to Tufts Medical Center, police said.
Colon’s sister, Angelica Colon, wrote on social media Sunday that the club failed to immediately call 911 after being told about the medical emergency. She said only a few people at the club showed any “real concern,” while other patrons and staff “acted like nothing was happening.”
“My sister collapsed in the middle of the club,“ she wrote. ”I tried to lift her myself and couldn’t. I was screaming at the top of my lungs and was ignored. The music was only stopped for two minutes, then turned right back on — as if her life didn’t matter.”
Angelica Colon also couldn’t be reached for comment on Tuesday.
Anastaiya Colon, who was at the club to celebrate her sister Angelica’s birthday, had smoked before arriving and had “a few drinks” at the bar, according to the police report. Drug use was not suspected as a factor in the medical episode, according to the report.
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Angelica Colon said that, while her sister had a medical condition, “that does not excuse what happened.” She said in the post that she was considering legal action against the club’s owners.
“A business that refuses to act during a medical emergency does not deserve to operate,” she wrote. “If this could happen to my sister, it could happen to anyone.”
“She was the greatest mother to our son and her daughter,” Stackhouse wrote. “Wherever I fell, she compensated and gave me so much more grace than I deserve.”
Icon is operated by Pasha Entertainment, which also runs the nightclubs Venu and Hava, as well as prominent restaurants such as Ghost Light Tavern and Kava Neo-Taverna, according to the company’s website.
“Our thoughts and condolences are with the individual’s family and loved ones,” the club wrote.
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Last year, the city’ licensing board reviewed a 2023 incident at the club in which a woman was punched and thrown to the ground by another patron. Icon staff did not call police during the altercation, which the club’s director of security admitted was a “lapse in judgment.”
The woman who was punched later sued the club for overserving her attacker; Icon was ordered to pay $30,000 in damages, according to court records.
Camilo Fonseca can be reached at camilo.fonseca@globe.com. Follow him on X @fonseca_esq and on Instagram @camilo_fonseca.reports.
BOSTON (WHDH) – Getting around the city was made easier Tuesday after the Green Line reopened after a two-week shutdown affecting all branches.
The MBTA needed the closure to replace underground beams dating back to the 19th century.
Service returned Tuesday on the B branch between North Station and Babcock, on the C and D lines from North Station to Kenmore, and North Station to Heath Street on the E branch.
(Copyright (c) 2025 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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After four seasons in which he emerged as a veteran leader and key bench player for the Red Sox, Rob Refsnyder’s time in Boston is over.
Refsnyder has signed a one-year contract with the Mariners, the club announced. According to a major league source, the deal will pay Refsnyder a base salary of $6.25 million in 2026. It also includes $250,000 in incentives.
Refsnyder, who turns 35 in May, was a journeyman utility player when he signed with the Red Sox as a minor league free agent in December 2021. Over the last four seasons, he found a home in Boston, where he mashed left-handed pitching and became an important clubhouse voice. Along with Trevor Story and Alex Bregman, Refsnyder helped form a core of older position players who helped the Sox navigate treacherous waters in the fallout of the Rafael Devers drama (and subsequent trade) over the summer. On the field, he was plenty productive, too, as he hit .269 with nine homers, 12 doubles and an .838 OPS in 70 games in his limited role in 2025.
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In 309 games over the past four seasons, Refsnyder hit .276 with 27 homers, 119 RBIs, 48 doubles and an .804 OPS while serving as one of the best hitters in baseball against left-handed pitching. In 2025, he posted a .302 average, .560 slugging percentage and .959 OPS against southpaws, pairing with Romy Gonzalez to form a potent pair of right-handed platoon options for Alex Cora. Refsnyder’s .596 slugging percentage against left-handed starters was the fourth-best mark in baseball. Since the start of 2021, Refsnyder ranks third in the majors in on-base percentage against lefties (.405) among players with 300 plate appearances.
Refsnyder expressed strong interest in returning to the Red Sox in 2026 but in recent weeks, the writing has been on the wall for his departure. There aren’t many at-bats to go around in Boston’s crowded outfield/designated hitter picture and recent comments from manager Alex Cora made it harder to see Refsnyder returning in his role. Specifically, the club wants Wilyer Abreu — a platoon player to this point in his career — to get regular starts against lefties in right field, a position where Refsnyder logged 21 starts in 2025. Cora also praised the athleticism of Nate Eaton, who may take over Refsnyder’s role as a versatile, younger and cheaper version in 2026. Eaton had a .673 OPS against lefties in 49 big league plate appearances last year but the Red Sox think there’s more in his right-handed bat. Kristian Campbell is expected to focus on outfield work in spring training, too, further crowding a group that includes Abreu, Roman Anthony, Ceddanne Rafaela, Jarren Duran and potentially Eaton and others.
The Mariners will be Refsnyder’s seventh major league team, joining the Yankees, Blue Jays, Rays and Twins. He had previously signed two deals to remain in Boston, agreeing to avoid arbitration at $1.2 million for 2023, then signing a $1.85 million extension for the 2024 season that included a $2 million option for 2025.
