Security stepped up at closed Reliance outlet

A day after a mob armed with fruits and vegetables attacked the yet-to-be opened Reliance Fresh stores in the city, followed by the chief minister's assurance of "adequate protection" to the stores, the Kolkata police has beefed up patrolling in the Girish Park area, where the store is located.

Nearly 25 police personnel, with nearly four from the armed force division, are making regular rounds in the area.

This apart, the police are guarding the store premises in civil dress.

Earlier, the not more than six police personnels were posted in the area, said a police officer in-charge of the area.

"We have co-ordinated with traffic police and all other sister agencies for protecting the store," said another senior police personnel at the Girish Park police station.

From cycle to motorcycle, the police was guarding the area in every possible vehicle, he further said. Even though, no one had been arrested by the police since the first attack on the store till now, the police was searching for the miscreants, he added.

However, citing the reason of security threat, he refused to disclose the number of police personnels posted in the area. According to him, though no additional police was posted in the area after Sunday's incident, police patrolling has been intensified and the officer were taking rounds in every half an hour frequency.

According to eyewitnesses, nearly 500 people had attacked the store on Sunday.

This was the second attack on the Reliance store, merely a week after the first attack.

Another Reliance Fresh store in the Uttarpara area in the city outskirts was forcefully closed by Trinamool activists at the same time.

Govind Kanoria, the franchisee of the Girish Park store had earlier said he was not sure when would the shop open, though he was optimistic.

However, after the second attack on his store, he said he was down with fever and refused to comment on the issue.

Meanwhile, according to the police personnels posted outside the store, there has been a complete halt of work after the second attack. Earlier, the storekeepers and managers were regularly coming to the store for routine shopkeeping activities.

According to Kanoria, about 100 Reliance Fresh stores, with nearly 50 in the outskirts were ready be launched in the state.