Arvind Kejriwal has been in a tussle with the centre over the Delhi Police for a while now.

Highlights Arvind Kejriwal cited the murder of an elderly couple as a case in point

He alleged a "crime spurt", and said Delhiites don't know who to approach

Delhi Police produced data to back claim that city was actually "safer"

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's accusation that crimes were rising in the capital city was countered by the police on Sunday. Hours after an elderly couple and their domestic help were found murdered at their residence in Vasant Vihar, Mr Kejriwal had taken to social media to condemn the "dangerous spurt" in crimes across the city. He also said that the incident was among nine similar murders reported across the national capital in the last 24 hours.

"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 & security of Delhiites?" he tweeted.

The last part of Mr Kejriwal's tweet was an apparent jibe at the central government, which is responsible for law enforcement in the national capital. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, which has been demanding that the Delhi Police be brought under its control for a long time now, had even passed a resolution to this effect in the state assembly late last year. "If the Delhi Police comes under the elected government of Delhi, it will start working for the good of the people," the Chief Minister had said back then.

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 & security of Delhiites ? — Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) June 23, 2019

Delhi Police issued a firm rebuttal to the charge.

No such increase in crime in Delhi. Overall heinous crimes down by 10 % this year compared to 2018. Similarly

heinous crime committed against senior citizens also down by 22% due to preventive efforts of Delhi police. @ArvindKejriwalpic.twitter.com/FaAA5PvLnK — Delhi Police (@DelhiPolice) June 23, 2019

Also two of the three incidents of murder which Hon'ble CM @ArvindKejriwal is referring have been committed by family members or persons living in the house. Both cases are solved & accused arrested. In the Vasant Vihar case also entry is friendly and police has vital leads. — Delhi Police (@DelhiPolice) June 23, 2019

In today's incident, the bodies of the elderly couple -- Vishnu Kumar (80) and Shishi Mathur (75) -- were found along with that of their 24-year-old domestic help, Khushboo Nautiyal, at their Vasant Vihar residence. All three were found with their throats slit, police said.

The incident came to light when neigbours alerted the police after seeing blood seeping out from under the door of their house. Police have ruled out robbery as the motive for the crime, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (South West) Devendra Arya.

Yesterday evening, a middle-aged couple -- identified as Hari Ballabh (51) and Shanti Singh (47) -- were found stabbed to death at their residence in Dwarka's Mohan Garden area. Their daughter called the police after she returned home in the evening, only to see the two lying in a pool of blood.

According to news agency ANI, police have arrested a man -- identified as Vishal -- who they believe may have murdered the couple in order to get married to their daughter. He was taken into custody on the basis of call records on his mobile phone.

(With inputs from ANI)