The incident is considered the single most damaging strike by the rebels during the Nepalese Civil War.

[1][2][3] During the civil war, the Maoists negotiated briefly with the government to start the peace process, but the truce collapsed.

However, the Maoists had distributed pamphlets, pasted posters and organised warning rallies indicating they would attack the district headquarters soon.

This information was sent to Kathmandu by the Chief District Officer, but additional reinforcement was not provided by the central government.

[4] The district police chief ordered his forces into position and called the army barracks for help but no one replied.

[3] Another simultaneous attack was carried out at Sanphebagar 20 km north of Mangalsen a few hours later on the same day.

The Maoist used automatic rifles, mortars and rocket-propelled grenades that they stole during the Ghorahi raid on 23 November 2001.

[4] After the incident, government troops from Kathmandu were sent by helicopter to surround the area and search for the rebels.

The Left Opposition, consisting of the Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist-Leninist) and the Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist–Leninist), with 69 votes and the Nepali Congress with 113 votes with a two-thirds majority ratified the Constitution to extend the emergency.

[1] The failure to detect the attack was criticised by K. P. Sharma Oli indicating the impossibility in the hill area for the movement of thousands of people without notice.