Jamshedpur, Jan 22 (ANI): A college student was shot dead by suspected Maoists at Bodam in East Singhbhum district of Jharkhand.

According to police, nineteen-year-old Malinder Singh was shot dead when returning home after Saraswati Puja preparation last night at Khokro village.

He was an intermediate student of Chandil College.

The Security agencies are carrying out search operations in the area.

The deceased was guarding his village along with two other local youths against CPI (Maoist).

Police said, on the fateful night, on finding a group of Maoists coming to their village, he raised alarm-making loud announcement of the visit of the Maoists to the village.

The visiting Maoists in retaliation shot at Singh killing him on the spot.

Notably the villagers of Dalma Hill Range foot hill areas under Boram Police Station of East Singhbhum mobilised under the banner of Gram Ganrajy - a Panchayat Parishad - raising voice against the Maoists for their anti-people activities.

The killing incident has evoked sharp reaction among the local villagers against the Maoists.

Addressing the media after reviewing the anti Naxal operations with Chief Ministers of Chhattisgarh and Orissa, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram condemned the attack on innocent villagers and school children by the Maoists. (ANI)