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Vartika Katiyar, IPS: Profile, Bio, Age, Caste, Husband and Family



Quick Facts

Field Detail
Full Name Vartika Katiyar
Profession IPS Officer (Karnataka Cadre)
Batch / Year 2010 batch (The Times of India)
Current Position Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Ballari Zone, Karnataka (as of 2025) (The Times of India)
Spouse / Family Former spouse: Niteen Subhash Yeola (IFS officer) — legal dispute filed. (The New Indian Express)
Net Worth — (No credible public data available as of now)

Introduction

In a landscape where law enforcement often goes unnoticed until crisis erupts, Vartika Katiyar has emerged as one of the most talked-about officers of her generation. A 2010-batch IPS (Indian Police Service) officer, she has risen through the ranks in the Karnataka cadre, drawing attention not only for her administrative assignments but also for her willingness to challenge institutional pressures. As of 2025, she is the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) for the Ballari zone — a role that comes with significant responsibilities in a region marked by tourism, mining, and smuggling issues. Her professional journey, controversies, and public stances make her biography particularly compelling.

Early Life & Education

Public records about Vartika Katiyar’s early life — including her date of birth, place of birth, early schooling, or parents’ identities — are relatively sparse, as is common with many civil servants whose private lives remain guarded. Most media attention on her focuses on her professional achievements and controversies rather than childhood or academic background.

What is clear is that she belongs to the 2010 batch of the Indian Police Service, which indicates she cleared the rigorous UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) examination around that period. Her selection and career trajectory suggest a strong academic foundation and commitment to public service.

Because of limited verifiable public documentation, we cannot definitively outline her early education, alma mater, or school/university background.

Family Details

The available public information about Vartika Katiyar’s personal life centers around her marriage — and subsequent legal dispute. Here is what is known:

  • Spouse: She was married to Niteen Subhash Yeola, an officer of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS). (The New Indian Express)

  • Marriage: The marriage reportedly took place in 2011 in Bhusaval (Maharashtra), with marriage and engagement expenses borne by her parents. (The New Indian Express)

  • Allegations / Legal Action: In February 2021, Vartika Katiyar filed a formal dowry harassment complaint against Yeola and his family, alleging repeated harassment and demands for dowry (including gold), physical and mental torture, and financial exploitation. She claimed that after marriage, the family demanded amounts — e.g., Rs 3 lakh three months after marriage. She also alleged that later they demanded Rs 35 lakh for buying a house in her name. There were further accusations of physical abuse: she reportedly suffered a fractured hand after an assault with a marble box during a trip abroad (Colombo, 2016). (The New Indian Express)

  • Children: There is no credible public record disclosing any children from the marriage. Available media reports focus exclusively on the harassment complaint and do not mention offspring.

  • Extended Family & Background: Beyond her ex-spouse’s identity, there is little verified information about her parents, siblings, or extended family in public domain.

Given the serious nature of the allegations and the sensitivity around personal privacy, further intimate details are understandably limited in press coverage.

Career Trajectory

Entry into IPS and Early Years

Vartika Katiyar entered the Indian Police Service in 2010. As a 2010-batch officer, she would have undergone the standard period of training — probation — and then been posted to various units under the Karnataka cadre over the years. While detailed records of her earliest assignments are not widely publicized, her later appointments reflect a steady ascent in the police hierarchy.

Superintendent of Police, Kodagu (First Woman SP of Kodagu)

One of her earliest publicly recognised milestones was her appointment as Superintendent of Police (SP) of Kodagu district in Karnataka — making her among the first women to hold that post. (coorg.com)

This assignment was notable because Kodagu is a district with unique challenges — including difficult terrain, sensitive issues involving indigenous communities, and law-and-order concerns related to tourism. Her leadership in a district historically under male senior officers drew attention, marking her as a progressive face of policing in the region.

Administrative & Headquarters Roles — E-Governance / Data Oversight

At some point, she served in a capacity involving data oversight for the state police. An official document lists “Smt. Vartika Katiyar, IPS, Chief Data Officer, Karnataka State Police.” (Data.gov.in)

This suggests that beyond field roles, she has been entrusted with responsibilities tied to police data governance — an increasingly important aspect as law enforcement digitizes records, crime databases, and public-facing data portals.

Rapid Rise — DIG and Recent Appointment to Ballari Zone (2025)

As of 2025, Vartika Katiyar has been appointed Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) for the Ballari zone in Karnataka. (The Times of India)

  • The Ballari zone comprises districts including Ballari, Vijayanagara, Koppal, and Raichur. (The Times of India)

  • This region holds strategic importance: it's home to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Hampi, iron-ore mines (notably in Ballari and Sandur), thermal power plants, and borders interstate traffic corridors with Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. (The Times of India)

  • The role is especially challenging because Ballari zone contends with high tourist footfall — owing to its heritage and natural attractions — but also rising crimes ranging from assaults to mining-related smuggling, illegal resorts, and sand smuggling. (The Times of India)

Her elevation to DIG demonstrates confidence by the state police authorities in her administrative and investigative capabilities, entrusting her with a volatile and high-stakes zone.

News, Controversies & Public Interest Cases

Throughout her career, Vartika Katiyar has been associated with a number of high-profile controversies and bold decisions — some that boosted her reputation as a fearless officer, others that triggered institutional pushback. Below are the major ones:

Dowry-Harassment Case against Husband and In-laws (2021)

In February 2021, then-SP Vartika Katiyar lodged a formal complaint alleging dowry harassment, mental torture, physical abuse, and repeated demands for money and gold from her husband, IFS officer Niteen Subhash Yeola, and his family. The case was registered by Cubbon Park police, naming Yeola as the prime accused. (The New Indian Express)

Key allegations:

  • Demands for gold ornaments at the time of marriage (in 2011). (The New Indian Express)

  • A demand of Rs 3 lakh three months post-marriage; the wife complied. (The New Indian Express)

  • In 2012, Yeola allegedly borrowed Rs 5 lakh from Katiyar’s grandmother’s house in Uttar Pradesh; a cheque was issued but bounced. (The New Indian Express)

  • Addiction to alcohol and smoking, refusal to quit despite requests, leading to further harassment. (The New Indian Express)

  • In 2016, Katiyar alleged a violent physical assault in Colombo with a marble box, resulting in a fractured hand. (The New Indian Express)

  • Repeated demands (Rs 35 lakh) for a house in her name. (The New Indian Express)

This bold legal move by a young woman police officer against an IFS officer and his family grabbed media headlines. It underscored both the entrenched problem of dowry harassment even among elite civil-service circles — and the courage required to challenge it.

However — and importantly — public records do not indicate any publicly announced outcome of the case (such as conviction, settlement, or divorce) as of the latest media coverage.

2025 Internal Security Division Dispute & Transfer after Filing Complaint against Senior Officer

In February 2025, DIG Vartika Katiyar filed a complaint with the Chief Secretary of Karnataka (cc Director General of Police) accusing senior officer D Roopa Moudgil (2000 batch IPS) of unauthorised access to her office and “planting” confidential files. The complaint stated that on September 6, 2024, two police personnel — a head constable and a home guard — under Moudgil’s direction had entered her chamber using keys from the police control room, photographed documents, and transmitted them via WhatsApp. (The News Minute)

She claimed the act was part of a campaign to undermine her professionally, possibly to influence her annual performance report. (The Indian Express)

Just a day after media reports emerged of her complaint, the government transferred her — from the Internal Security Division (ISD), Bengaluru — to the post of DIG & Additional Commandant General, Home Guards & Civil Defence, Bengaluru. Official notes described the new post as “equivalent in status” to her previous post under the IPS pay rules. (Deccan Herald)

Some media views interpret this as a retaliatory move — a demotion in effect, if not in paper rank, given the sensitive nature of ISD compared to Home Guards/Civil Defence. (The Indian Express)

Further developments reportedly involved internal denial by the police department — stating that there was “no record of harassment complaint” as described by Moudgil in her letter. Sources claimed the allegations were unfounded and that there was no documentation about any 2010-era harassment complaint (as alleged by Moudgil) at the police training academy. (The New Indian Express)

In early 2025, amid large-scale transfers of IPS officers across Karnataka, the reshuffle placed Vartika Katiyar as DIG of Ballari range — a high-profile district now fraught with complex responsibilities. (The Times of India)

Awards & Achievements

Publicly available records do not list many formal civilian or police medals awarded to Vartika Katiyar. What stands out instead are her achievements in breaking glass ceilings and assuming high-profile roles in challenging environments. Key “soft-achievements” include:

  • Becoming one of the first women to serve as SP of Kodagu district in Karnataka. (coorg.com)

  • Serving as Chief Data Officer for the Karnataka State Police — a role indicating trust in administrative and data-governance capabilities. (Data.gov.in)

  • Rapid elevation to DIG rank within roughly 15 years of entering service (2010 → 2025), culminating in her present posting in a strategically important zone (Ballari).

That said, there is no public record (journalistic or governmental) of formal awards such as police medals, civil honours, or similar acknowledgments as of 2025.

Why Vartika Katiyar Matters: Social & Institutional Significance

Vartika Katiyar represents several intersecting narratives relevant to modern India’s policing and gender dynamics:

  • Breaking Gender Barriers: Her appointment as SP of Kodagu and later elevation to DIG mirrors gradual — but real — progress toward gender representation in a male-dominated service like the IPS.

  • Institutional Courage: By filing a dowry harassment case against her husband, and later by accusing a senior police officer of misconduct, she has demonstrated willingness to challenge entrenched power. That resonates in times when accountability within civil services is under scrutiny.

  • Policing in Sensitive Regions: Her current posting at Ballari zone — with its mix of tourism, interstate mobility, mining, and smuggling — places her at the frontline of complex law-and-order challenges, making her decisions and leadership critical for public safety and institutional credibility.

  • Data Governance & Modern Policing: Serving as Chief Data Officer highlights a shift: to adapt policing to an era of digitization, accountability, transparency — an essential pivot in 21st-century law enforcement.

FAQ — People Also Ask (Voice Search Optimized)

Q: Who is Vartika Katiyar?
A: Vartika Katiyar is an IPS (Indian Police Service) officer of the 2010 batch in the Karnataka cadre. As of 2025, she serves as Deputy Inspector General (DIG) for the Ballari zone.

Q: What are major controversies involving Vartika Katiyar?
A: Two major controversies: (1) In 2021 she filed a dowry-harassment complaint against her then-husband (an IFS officer) and his family. (2) In February 2025, she accused senior IPS officer D Roopa Moudgil of unauthorized entry into her office and planting confidential files — leading to her transfer shortly thereafter.

Q: Is Vartika Katiyar married?
A: She was married to IFS officer Niteen Subhash Yeola, but in 2021 she filed a dowry-harassment complaint against him and his family. Public records do not clearly state the current marital status.

Q: What is Vartika Katiyar’s current position?
A: As of 2025, she is the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, Ballari Zone, Karnataka.

Q: Has Vartika Katiyar received any awards or formal honours?
A: There are no publicly documented police medals or civil honours as of 2025. Her key achievements lie in her administrative promotions and sensitive postings.

Q: Why was Vartika Katiyar transferred in 2025?
A: The transfer came a day after she lodged a complaint against senior officer D Roopa Moudgil, accusing her of planting files in her office. The government reassigned her to a post in Home Guards / Civil Defence, described as equivalent in status under IPS pay rules.

Q: What zones or districts has she served in?
A: She has served as SP of Kodagu district, held data-governance responsibilities at Karnataka State Police headquarters, and as of 2025, serves as DIG for Ballari zone (covering Ballari, Vijayanagara, Koppal, Raichur).

Conclusion — The Road Ahead

As of late 2025, Vartika Katiyar stands at a critical juncture. Her posting in the Ballari zone — a region of economic, environmental, and cultural importance — gives her a platform to make substantial impact. The region’s mix of heritage tourism, interstate flows, mining, illegal sand smuggling, and rising crimes means her leadership will be tested under challenging circumstances.

At the same time, her public record — of confronting both personal and institutional injustices — makes her biography a compelling case study in integrity, courage, and the evolving face of Indian policing. For those tracking gender representation in civil services, or examining how policing in India adapts to modern pressures (tourism, mining, digitization), Katiyar’s journey is emblematic of larger structural shifts.

Given her trajectory, media attention, and the complexity of her current posting, Vartika Katiyar’s name is likely to remain relevant in Indian police history. Observers and commentators — as well as future biographers — will watch closely to see whether she can leverage this opportunity to deliver sustainable reform and public safety.

References

  • “Big challenges ahead for new DIG Vartika Katiyar,” Times of India, July 2025. (The Times of India)

  • “IPS officer Vartika Katiyar transferred day after complaining against boss D Roopa,” Deccan Herald, March 2025. (Deccan Herald)

  • “Karnataka IPS Officer Vartika Katiyar accuses boss Roopa Moudgil of planting documents, transferred,” The News Minute, March 3, 2025. (The News Minute)

  • “IPS officer files dowry harassment case against IFS officer husband and his family,” The New Indian Express, February 6, 2021. (The New Indian Express)

  • “IPS officer transferred from ISD,” Times of India, March 2025. (The Times of India)

  • “Official list — Chief Data Officer, Karnataka State Police,” Government of Karnataka (data.gov.in). (Data.gov.in)


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