JOIN USOn-field violence left a player injured with as many as five players being sent-off in a quarterfinal match of the Santosh Trophy National Football Championship between Mizoram and Tamil Nadu.
Play was suspended for 10 minutes including one Mizoram player needing medical attention after being punched in the nose. The match was won 4-3 by Tamil Nadu.
The match was into its 53rd minute when referee gave marching orders to Mizoram defender Lal Chhawn Kima for an intentional hand-ball trying to save a free-kick off VR Murugappan of Tamil Nadu and awarded a penalty in favour of the opposition.
However, the Mizoram players protested, abused and virtually manhandled the referee. As
Tamil Nadu players came in support of the referee, Mizos turned their ire on the opposition and were seen trading blows in the middle.
In the melee, one Mizo player Lalbiakulua started bleeding from his nose after being allegedly thrashed by a Tamil Nadu player.
As violence took the centre stage, play remained suspended for 10 minutes during which the injured player was administered first-aid.
Besides Murugappan and Kima, three others - R Naveen Kumar (Tamil Nadu) and Lalrinfela and F Lalrinpuia (Mizoram) - were red-carded for indulging in violence.