Two Pakistani students were arrested after they allegedly removed the turban of a Sikh student and chopped off his hair during a scuffle in their school in a New York suburb, police said.

A third student, who provided the scissors, was also arrested after the incident at the Newtown High School in Queens suburb of New York City on Thursday.

The victim, a 15-year-old student, was not identified.       

The arrested included 17-year old Umair Ahmed but the other Pakistani(15), was not identified because of his age.

Ahmed and the other student allegedly pulled the victim into a bathroom after a heated argument, removed his turban and cut his hair, police said.

Police said the accused students face charges of unlawful imprisonment, aggravated harassment and coercion.

The New York Post quoted an Education Department spokeswoman as describing the incident as 'horrifying' and said the victim would be offered counselling.