Seven classrooms, a records room and offices of St. Joseph School in the Sugnu area of Chandel district were destroyed by an arson attack on the night of April 25 after six students were suspended for indiscipline.

“We believe this was orchestrated in retaliation to the school management’s decision to suspend six female students of grade nine,” Archbishop Dominic Lumon of Imphal told ucanews.com. The school functions under his Imphal Archdiocese that covers the entire state of Manipur.

Police investigating the case said they suspect the involvement of the powerful Kuki Student Organization (KSO), a forum of students of ethnic Kuki people, the dominant hilltribe in Manipur. Two officials of the organization have been arrested, said Jayanta Singh, inspector-general of police in the state.