Indian street vendors armed with iron rods and sticks attacked three stores owned by Reliance Industries Ltd. on Saturday, injuring around a dozen people in a protest against the large food retailer.
It was one of the most serious cases of unrest linked to the entrance of large, glitzy retail chains into India's fragmented $200 billion food and grocery sector, which small shop owners see as a threat to their customers.
About a dozen vendors and Reliance customers were hurt in the eastern city of Ranchi when around 1,000 vegetable sellers smashed the windows of three of the chain's stores and damaged customers' vehicles.
Police used bamboo canes to chase the protesters away.
'The vegetable vendors are agitated because Reliance outlets are selling vegetables at prices which are much lower than the market price and are driving away their customers,' said local government official Dipankar Panda.
Reliance Retail Ltd., a subsidiary of Reliance Industries, is investing $5.6 billion in hundreds of stores. Officials of the firm were not immediately available for comment.
It was one of the most serious cases of unrest linked to the entrance of large, glitzy retail chains into India's fragmented $200 billion food and grocery sector, which small shop owners see as a threat to their customers.
About a dozen vendors and Reliance customers were hurt in the eastern city of Ranchi when around 1,000 vegetable sellers smashed the windows of three of the chain's stores and damaged customers' vehicles.
Police used bamboo canes to chase the protesters away.
'The vegetable vendors are agitated because Reliance outlets are selling vegetables at prices which are much lower than the market price and are driving away their customers,' said local government official Dipankar Panda.
Reliance Retail Ltd., a subsidiary of Reliance Industries, is investing $5.6 billion in hundreds of stores. Officials of the firm were not immediately available for comment.
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