Bengaluru, Oct 31 (DHNS): The state government has appointed 1983 batch IPS officer Neelamani N Raju as the new DG&IGP. She will succeed R K Dutta. With her appointment, Karnataka will get its first woman DG&IGP.

She hails from Roorkee, Uttarakhand. Her husband Narasimha Raju is a retired IAS officer.

She was on deputation to the Centre for 23 years and had returned to the state about two years ago.

Neelamani had submitted a request to the state government, expressing willingness for Central assignment after Dutta became the DG&IGP. However, about two weeks ago, she met the chief minister and submitted another letter, withdrawing her previous request.

She is senior to two other IPS officers who were in the race - H C Kishore Chandra, DGP (CID) and M N Reddi, DGP (ACB). The chief minister finally decided to consider seniority for the appointment.

With her appointment, the chances of Kishore Chandra and M N Reddi to become DG&IGP have become bleak, as they will retire from service before her superannuation.

About a week ago, Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy and Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T B Jayachandra prepared a shortlist of five officers considering their backgrounds, track records, achievements and performances and submitted it to the chief minister.

Till Monday night, the government had favoured Kishore Chandra for the top position as he is a Kannadiga and because there will not be any Kannadiga in the post of DG&IGP till 2030.