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The photographer

An eyewitness who documented the results of a large-scale Brazilian police operation in the metropolitan area has recounted how community members returned with disfigured remains of the deceased individuals.

The casualties "continued arriving: the count kept increasing", the photographer stated. Among them were security forces.

One of the bodies was found without a head - others were "completely mutilated", he said. Numerous victims displayed what appeared to be blade trauma.

Over 120 individuals were killed in the Tuesday operation on a criminal gang - the bloodiest action Rio has experienced.

The eyewitness reported that he initially learned about the operation in the early hours by residents living in Alemão, who reached out informing him there was a shoot-out.

The photographer traveled to the Getúlio Vargas hospital, where the bodies were being brought.

The photographer stated that the police stopped members of the press from going into the affected area, where the operation were occurring.

"Security forces formed a line and announced: 'Journalists cannot proceed beyond this point'."

But Itan, who grew up in the community, explained he succeeded to enter into the restricted zone, where he remained until dawn.

He reported that Tuesday night, area inhabitants started looking the hillside which divides the community of Penha and the adjacent Alemão area for family members who had been missing following the security action.

Local people living in Penha arranged the located casualties in an open area - and Itan's photos show the reaction of the gathered crowd.

"The harsh reality of the situation shook me a lot: the pain of the families, mothers fainting, expectant spouses, sobbing, outraged parents," the reporter recounted.

The eyewitness

The official of the state stated that the large-scale security action involving around 2,500 officers was designed to stopping a criminal group referred to as Red Command from growing their influence.

At first, state authorities maintained that sixty alleged criminals along with four officers" lost their lives during the action.

They have since said that early calculations shows that 117 "suspects" were fatally injured.

The legal assistance organization, which provides legal assistance to disadvantaged individuals, has estimated the total number of people killed at 132.

According to researchers, the gang represents the unique criminal entity that in the past few years has succeeded to increase its control in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

It is generally regarded as a major illegal faction nationally, together with First Capital Command, featuring a timeline spanning over five decades.

According to Brazilian journalist an expert, with extensive experience documenting illegal operations in Rio over many years, the gang "functions as a network" with local criminal leaders forming part of the gang and serving as "business partners".

The criminal group concentrates largely on narcotics distribution, additionally trafficking weapons, valuable minerals, petroleum products, alcohol and tobacco.

Based on official reports, criminal affiliates are well armed and authorities stated that while the action was underway, they encountered resistance via weaponized unmanned aircraft.

The official of Rio state, the political leader, labeled gang affiliates as drug terrorists and described the security forces fatally injured in the action as brave public servants.

Nevertheless, the total of casualties during the raid has come in for criticism from UN human rights officials expressing they felt "horrified".

During a press briefing the next day, Governor Castro supported law enforcement.

"It wasn't our intention to kill anyone. We aimed to arrest them all alive," he declared.

He added that the situation had escalated as the individuals resisted aggressively: "It was a consequence of the resistance they carried out and the overwhelming response by the illegal group."

The official further reported that the casualties shown by residents in the neighborhood were "altered".

Through a message on social media, he said that particular individuals had been stripped of tactical gear that he stated they possessed "in order to shift blame onto the police".

A law enforcement representative of Rio's civil police force further reported that tactical gear, body armor, and weapons" were stripped from the casualties and presented video appearing to show an individual cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse