NAGPUR: While Delhi is still under the shock of Radhika Tanwar murder on international women's day, the city was rocked by a similar incident on Friday morning when a third year engineering student was stabbed to death by four assailants as she proceeded to her college. The motive for the murder as well as identity of killers was not immediately known.Twenty one-year-old Monica Kirnapure was stabbed by four unidentified assailants in presence of many onlookers at Shree Nagar in Nandanwan. The culprits fled the place as the hapless victim lay on the ground for more than ten minutes in a pool of blood in a residential area where none came to her aid. The crime was witnessed by several residents and passers-by but in a shocking display of civic apathy, none of them made any effort to take the victim to a hospital.Ultimately it was Umesh Authankar, a worker of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, who came forward and took the profusely bleeding Monica to Government Medical College and Hospital. It was too late. She succumbed to her injuries on way to hospital. Monica was declared brought dead at GMCH Monica, a native of Ramtek, had her breakfast at Pratibha Pawar Girls Hostel just opposite Nandanwan police station where she used to live. At about 10 am, she left for her college Shrimati Rajshri Mulak College of Engineering of Women situated in the campus of KDK College campus on Great Nag Road in Nandanwan. Though she had a bicycle, she often walked to her college as the distance is not much, said her uncle Praveen Pohankar, who works in city police's bomb detection and disposal squad.The attack took place while Monica was just a a short distance from her college. A student of third year electronics, Monica was actually talking with her mother Vandana on cellphone, giving her the news that she had topped the college in fifth semester when the killers struck. They came on a bike and attacked her from behind with a sharp weapon.The residents said that though Monica was accompanied with a friend, the attackers threatened the friend at knifepoint and told her to leave the spot. "It all happened within minutes. Four youths came on bike. They stopped the girl and snatched her cellphone. She screamed but the youths stabbed her thrice and fled," said an eyewitness.The police said Monica suffered three serious stab injuries. One was on the right hand, one on left shoulder while the last and probably the fatal one was on the back of her neck. The knife was struck with such force that it penetrated through the bag with books that Monica carried on her back. "The weapon pierced through the bag and books and struck the neck with just its handle remaining outside," said Umesh Authankar.He added that the blade of the knife was embedded deep inside the neck and had it been removed she would have bled to death immediately. Umesh left it untouched and rushed her to GMCH. "Her dress was completely drenched in blood. It was difficult to know colour of her uniform," he said.A professor of her college who spoke to TOI said that Monica was a regular student with a good academic record. The college authorities were alerted by the residents and many of her teachers later rushed to GMCH. Though the cops are still clueless about the culprits, the residents said that they were four youths on two bikes and had their faces covered with scarves. One of them who removed the scarf was having long hair and was wearing a white shirt.After the attack, two ran on foot in one direction while the other two fled on two bikes in opposite direction. "The two who were on bike were also seen washing their hands at the nearby hand pump," said a resident. Monica's mother Vandana, who was on phone, heard her daughter's last scream before the call got disconnected. Though her mother tried calling again, no one picked up the phone. A worried Vandana then called up Monica's aunt Prerna, who stays in the city, and asked her to check out."While I was on my way to her hostel, I got a call from Monica's father that she had been taken to hospital and was serious," said Prerna. The deceased's friends did not share any information with cops as well as media. The hostel warden also refused to talk with the journalists. Cops from Nandanwan police station and senior police officers including CP Ankush Dhanvijay and Joint CP D Kanakaratnam reached the spot."We are still investigating the case. It looks as if this could be result of a one sided love affair. Since everybody including family members and friends are in a state of shock, they will be questioned later," said senior police inspector of Nandanwan Murlidhar Burade. Some MNS workers later ransacked some classrooms of KDK college protesting her murder. The police have registered an offence against them.