In the 53rd minute of the match in which Tamil Nadu beat Mizoram 4-3, the referee red-carded Mizo defender Lal Chhawn Kima for intentional hand-balling to save a free-kick off V R Murugappan of Tamil Nadu and awarded a penalty in favour of the opposition.
However, the Mizos protested the decision and pulled up the referee with abuse and virtually manhandling him. As Tamil Nadu players came in support of the referee, Mizos turned their ire on the opposition and were seen coming to blows in the middle.
In the melee, one Mizo player Lalbiakulua sustained bleeding injury on his nose after being allegedly thrashed by a Tamil Nadu player.
As violence took the centre stage, the play remained suspended for 10 minutes during which the injured player was administered first-aid.
Besides Murugappan and Kima, three others - R Naveen Kumar (Namil Nadu) and Lalrinfela and F Lalrinpuia (Mizoram) - were red-carded for indulging in violence.