The Boisar police expect that once life in Palghar gets back on track, people are more likely to come forward and give them leads about the rest of the vandalisers of the Palghar-based hospital that belongs to Shaheen Dhada’s uncle, Dr Abdul Dhada. The hospital was ransacked on November 18, soon after Shaheen posted a comment on Facebook criticising Mumbai’s shutdown after Bal Thackeray’s death. A day later, the Palghar police had arrested 10 Shiv Sainiks, but several more are yet to be traced and arrested.

Following public outrage over the way the matter was handled by the Palghar police, on Tuesday, both cases – against Shaheen and her friend Rinu Srinivasan and the rioting case – were transferred to the sub-divisional police officer for Boisar, Vijaykant Sagar.

“Because of the bandh and the tension in the area, investigation pertaining to the vandalisation did not gather pace. We are waiting for things to return to normalcy. We are hoping that eyewitnesses will come forward soon to provide us information on the other people involved in the attack,” Sagar said. “The complainant has stated that 40 to 50 unidentified persons were involved in the incident. We have arrested 10 persons and are trying to nail the others.”

All the accused have been booked for unlawful assembly, rioting, endangering the life and safety of others, damaging property and for house trespass, among others.