According to the three-member fact finding team of the party which visited Manoharpur for an on-the-spot assessment under state vice-president Anadi Sahu, the act was a result of a conflict of culture between the Hindus and Christians. He also said that a group of Australian missionary of which Staines was a member has been proselytising in the area since 1980.

The team said that Singh first worked in a shoe company of Keonjhar and later started his anti-social activities from Anandpur. Police had made a futile attempt to book Singh under the National Securities Act (NSA). Later, Singh shifted his base to Thakurmunda, about 40 km from Anandpur.