New Delhi, Dec 18 (IANS): The 23-year-old woman who was gang-raped and thrown off a moving bus in the capital is still critical and continues to be on ventilator support, authorities at the Safdarjung Hospital here said Tuesday.

"The patient is still critical, she is on ventilator support. But since today (Tuesday) morning she has started to speak to the doctor," S.N. Makwana, press information officer at the hospital, told IANS.

A senior doctor at the hospital, who is attending to the victim, added that no further surgeries were being planned as of now.

"The patient is in critical condition and she is now trying to speak. As of now we are not planning for any surgery. We can say it is a grievous injury and her intestines are severely damaged," another doctor said on condition of anonymity.

The brutal rape and torture occurred Sunday night when the woman along with her male friend boarded a private bus at Munirka to go to Dwarka after watching a movie.

The woman was beaten up, stripped and raped by at least seven men who were inside the bus. Both the woman and her male friend, who was also beaten up when he resisted, were thrown off the bus near Mahipalpur.

The male friend was taken Safdarjung but discharged after treatment for his injuries Monday.