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Bruno Itan

A reporter who observed the results of a large-scale Brazilian police operation in the Brazilian city has reported how local people brought back mutilated bodies of people who lost their lives.

The casualties "continued arriving: the count kept increasing", the photographer reported. Among them were those of police officers.

A particular victim was found without a head - others were "totally disfigured", he reported. Numerous victims displayed what he described as knife injuries.

More than 120 people were killed during Tuesday's raid targeting an illegal organization - the bloodiest action Rio has experienced.

The eyewitness stated that he was first alerted about the operation in the early hours by local people from the Alemão area, who reached out telling him there was a shoot-out.

The reporter traveled to the Getúlio Vargas hospital, where the bodies were arriving.

The photographer stated that security forces stopped members of the press from going into the Penha neighborhood, where the operation were occurring.

"Security forces formed a line and announced: 'Media representatives are not allowed to pass'."

But Itan, who spent his childhood in the community, stated he managed to gain access into the restricted zone, where he continued through the night.

He reported during the night, community members commenced searching the hillside that borders the community of Penha and the adjacent Alemão area for family members whose whereabouts were unknown since the police raid.

Community members living in Penha proceeded to place the located casualties in a square - the photographer's images display the reaction of those present.

"The brutality of the situation affected me profoundly: the grief of the families, mothers fainting, women carrying children, crying, furious relatives," the photographer recalled.

The eyewitness

The official of Rio state stated that the extensive law enforcement effort involving around 2,500 security personnel was intended to halting a criminal group referred to as Red Command from expanding its territory.

Initially, the Rio state government stated that "60 suspects plus four law enforcement personnel" had been killed in the operation.

Authorities later reported that initial estimates suggests that 117 individuals lost their lives.

Rio's public defender's office, that gives legal support to low-income residents, has estimated the overall count of fatalities to be 132.

Per investigative findings, the gang represents the unique criminal entity that recently has managed to increase its control throughout Rio state.

It is generally regarded one of the two largest gangs in the country, together with First Capital Command, and has a history extending half a century.

According to Brazilian journalist a specialist, who has long reported on crime in Rio over many years, the gang "works as a system" with area gang leaders affiliating with the group and becoming "business partners".

The criminal group concentrates largely on narcotics distribution, while also dealing in weapons, gold, petroleum products, liquor cigarettes.

According to the authorities, gang members are well armed and authorities stated that throughout the operation, they encountered resistance using drone-delivered explosives.

The state leader of Rio state, Cláudio Castro, described Red Command members as drug terrorists and described the law enforcement personnel killed in the raid as "heroes".

But the number of fatalities in the security action has received condemnation from international human rights authorities expressing they felt "appalled".

At a news conference the next day, the state leader defended the police force.

"We did not plan to result in deaths. We intended to detain everyone safely," he stated.

He added that the events worsened as the individuals had retaliated: "It occurred of the counterattack they implemented and the disproportionate use of force by those criminals."

The official also said that the casualties displayed by locals in the neighborhood had been "tampered with".

Via a statement on online platforms, he claimed that some of them had been taken of military-style attire that he stated they possessed "to redirect responsibility to security forces".

A law enforcement representative from the police department also said that tactical gear, protective equipment, and arms" were taken away from the victims and displayed evidence seemingly depicting an individual cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse