The incident described as a "big riot" on Sunday in Shepparton was actually a fight between three-four people, say community members who claim to be present at the scene at the time of the incident.
An eyewitness had told Shepparton News that the brawl during the second Punjab Sports Tournament on Sunday afternoon was "a sort of big riot".
Brendon Lavery who claimed he was just across the road from the spot where the incident occurred, had said people were attacking one another with sticks, knives and tree branches.
Nav Gill, a member of the tournament organising committee told SBS Punjabi that he was in the car park of the venue when the fight broke out. He claimed only three to four people were actually involved in the fight and no weapons were used.
"Someone clicked the picture of the people who were running to break the fight and posted it on Facebook, claiming it was a big fight."
Another member of Shepparton's Punjabi community, Karan Bir Singh said the whole incident was grossly exaggerated.
He said only a handful of players from two different Kabaddi teams had clashed and others were rushing to stop them.
"It was a great family event.. but those involved in the fight have undone the hard work of over two months by the Punjabi community in organising this tournament," Mr. Singh told SBS Punjabi.
Another member of the tournament organising committee who did not wish to be identified said the entire community in Shepparton was in a state of shock due to this "ugly" incident.
"We are now facing a difficult situation here. Families are in shock, children are still scared because of what happened," he said.
He added the council has threatened to slap the organisers with a fine for the damage to the venue during the fight.
He further said he knew the parties involved in the clash and the organisers will file a police complaint against them.
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