A Reliance [Get Quote] Fresh store was closed in Warangal on Wednesday after scores of Telangana Rashtra Samithi cadres staged a protest outside the store, alleging the company's entry into retail trade had hurt the livelihood of small traders.

TRS city president D Vinay Bhaskar, who led the protest in Subedari locality, demanded that the government ban entry of corporates like Reliance into retail trade. TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao had recently said that the Reliance Fresh outlets adversely affected small and petty traders.

Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party workers too held a protest at another Reliance outlet under the banner of Vegetable Vendors Association. This is the first time Reliance Fresh is facing resistance in Andhra Pradesh.

The company had chosen Hyderabad to make its foray into retail trade on November 3, 2006. It has 35 outlets in the state.