New Delhi: Just hours after a triple murder took place in national capital's Vasant Vihar, where an elderly couple was found murdered along with their maid, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the Delhi Police exchanged heated barbs over the crime situation in the city.


Kejriwal lambasted the Delhi Police saying that with nine murders in 24 hours, there has been a dangerous spurt in serious crimes in the city.

"Delhi is witnessing a dangerous spurt in serious crimes. An elderly couple and their domestic help murdered in Vasant Vihar. Nine murders reported in last 24 hours across the city. Whose door should be knocked for safety and security of Delhiites?" Kejriwal tweeted.

The bodies of an elderly couple and their caretaker were found with their throats slit at a house in southwest Delhi's Vasant Vihar on Sunday morning. The deceased were identified as Vishnu Mathur (78) and Shashi Mathur (75), both retired government officials, and Khushbu Nautiyal (24), the police said.

Vishnu had retired from the office of the Central Government Health Scheme and Shashi from a civic body in New Delhi. They had been living at Vasant Apartments for nearly 18 years. Nautiyal, who was their caretaker, stayed at their house and had been working with them for the last five-six months, neighbours claimed.

Responding to the Chief Minister's tweet, the Delhi Police from its official handle said: "No such increase in crime in Delhi. Overall heinous crimes down by 10 per cent this year compared to 2018. Similarly heinous crime committed against senior citizens also down by 22 per cent due to preventive efforts of Delhi Police."

"Also, two of the three incidents of murder which Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is referring have been committed by family members or persons living in the house. Both cases are solved and accused arrested. In the Vasant Vihar case also entry is friendly and police has vital leads," the police said referring to the recent murder cases.






After coming to power in 2015, Kejriwal has been in the midst of a power struggle with the Centre and the Lieutenant Governor over control of Delhi Police and other services in the national capital.