New Delhi, Oct. 22 -- A total of 154 police personnel lost their lives in the line of duty over the past year, taking the number of police martyrs since Independence to 36,852, Intelligence Bureau (IB) Director Mahesh Dixit said on Wednesday.

Addressing the Police Commemoration Day observance at the National Police Memorial in New Delhi, Dixit paid tribute to personnel who died while serving the country and protecting its citizens.

He recalled the sacrifice of 10 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel, led by Intelligence Bureau officer Karam Singh, who were killed while confronting Chinese troops at Hot Springs in Ladakh on October 21, 1959. The incident led to the annual observance of Police Commemoration Day on October 21.

Di...