Bhubaneswar, Sep 25 (IANS) Hundreds of small traders and vegetable vendors including women ransacked two of four Reliance Fresh outlets here Tuesday.
Today’s incidents follow in the wake of recent protests at Reliance Fresh outlets in Kozhikode (Kerala) on Sep 22 and Indore (Madhya Pradesh) on Sep 18. Protests have also led to closure of Reliance Fresh outlets in Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh).
The protesters Tuesday first attacked a retail outlet at Bhubaneswar’s Lewis Road area followed by one near Gopabandhu Square, local police said.
The demonstrators chased the lady manager of the Reliance Fresh outlet at Gopabandhu Nagar and pelted stones at her.
She ran for her life to escape the wrath of angry traders and vendors, who were determined not to allow the outlets to be opened at any cost, police said, without disclosing the identity of the lady manager.
Reliance Retail officials declined to comment. After the violence, both Reliance Fresh shops downed shutters with the police standing guard.
“We are determined not to allow Reliance Fresh outlets to operate in Bhubaneswar as it will have a bad impact on us. It will snatch away the bread and butter of local small traders and vendors,” general secretary of Bhubaneswar Traders Association, Gayadhar Swain told IANS.