Hundreds of protesters in India's capital have staged a demonstration to demand strong action against the six men accused of gang raping and torturing a 23-year-old woman, a crime that has sparked outrage across the country.

The demonstrators marched Friday in New Delhi to seek justice for the rape victim who has been hospitalized with severe genital and abdominal injuries since Sunday, the day of the rape.

A male friend of the woman tried to prevent the attack, but was beaten up by the assailants. Both victims were stripped and dumped on a road after the incident.

Police have arrested five of the six attackers.

On Thursday, an Indian think tank released a study revealing that 27 political candidates have been accused of raping women. The Association for Democratic Reforms did not, however, record how many of the accused have been found guilty.