Indore, Sep 18: Activists of the Bharatiya Janashakti Party on Tuesday attacked a store owned by Reliance Industries Limited, to register their protest against the food retailer.

Later, Madhya Pradesh police arrested at least 13 protestors, armed with iron rods and sticks, who ransacked and shut the shop.

"Police cannot be everywhere all the time. As soon as we were informed of this incident, we rushed to the spot in five minutes, and arrested the people involved," said Manoj Rai, Additional Superintendent of Police, Indore.

Party chief Uma Bharti on Sunday had forced a Reliance Fresh shop to close in the city as hundreds of her supporters protested the entry of multinational and corporate retail chains in the country.

India has allowed foreign single-brand retailers to take up to 51 percent in a joint venture with a local firm, while multiple-brand retailers like Wal-Mart are limited to cash-and-carry, or wholesale, and franchise deals.

But the move has led to massive protests amid fears the retail giant will put family-run "mom and pop" stores out of business.

India's retail industry, valued at nearly 350 billion dollars, is forecast to double in size by 2015. (With Inputs from ANI)