India gang-rape victim in critical condition

The condition of an Indian rape victim, who was flown to Singapore further treatment is "extremely critical", according to doctors at the city's Mount Elizabeth Hospital.

"As at [11:00 GMT] the patient remains in an extremely critical condition. Prior to her arrival, she has already undergone three abdominal surgeries and experienced a cardiac arrest in India," Dr Kelvin Loh, chief executive officer at the hospital, said in a statement on Thursday.

"A multi-disciplinary team of specialists is taking care of her and doing everything possible to stabilise her condition," Loh said.

The victim, a 23-year-old paramedic student, was flown to Singapore from New Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital where she was under treatment since she was assaulted on a bus on December 16.

She sustained horrific injuries in the gang rape in New Delhi, the Indian capital, which has seen rising number of crimes against women.

The Indian government, which is paying for the woman's treatment, approved the decision to transfer her.

According to police and prosecutors, six men took turns to rape the woman and assault her with an iron bar, leaving her with intestinal injuries, before they threw her out of a bus that they had taken for a joyride.

Manmohan Singh, India's prime minister, vowed in a televised speech that the attackers of the 23-year-old would face swift justice, but that has not deterred the protests that have now entered its second week.

Several thousand riot police were again on duty on Thursday to prevent a group of around 500 people, mostly women, from marching on the presidential palace.

"We want justice," the protesters chanted, with some demanding the sacking of the Delhi police chief for authorising the use of teargas and water cannon at previous protests.

Activists were stopped by police in riot gear armed with tear gas and water cannons to hold them back.

"We will win back our freedom!" the protesters, mostly university students, shouted as they pushed against barricades on a road leading to the city's landmark monument.

The country has been rocked by a wave of protests since the attack, including one in Delhi on Thursday when thousands, mainly girls and youth tried to march towards the main government building demanding end to violence against women.

Meanwhile, President Pranab Mukherjee's son, Abhijit, who is also a lawmaker for the ruling Congress Party, landed himself in trouble for describing some of the protesters as "dented and painted" women - a phrase used by mechanics who mask rust on used cars with liberal coats of paint.

Abhijit, who came in for widespread condemnation for his sexist remark, apologised saying "my intention was not to hurt anyone".

Official figures show that 228,650 of the total 256,329 violent crimes recorded last year were against women, with the number of rapes in the capital rising 17 percent to 661 this year.