The boat was attacked shortly after departing Janbai, Odisha by an unknown number of Maoists.

[4][5] The assailants, located on the surrounding hills, attacked the boat while it was passing through a narrow passage of the Balimela Reservoir with light machine guns, self-loading rifles, grenades, and automatic weapons such as AK-47s and AK-56s.

Mishra stated that the Greyhounds had made a "tactical blunder" by traveling in one boat and should have undertaken their journey earlier in the morning.

[9] Police had received specific intelligence regarding the location of Maoists in the Lavella forest area in Tadwai mandal of Warangal district.

[10] Muttannagari Jalandhar Reddy alias Krishna, who was also involved in the Balimela attack, surrendered to Andhra Pradesh Police in April 2021.