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The eyewitness

An eyewitness who observed the results of a massive Brazilian police operation in the Brazilian city has recounted how local people came back with badly injured victims of the deceased individuals.

The casualties "continued arriving: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", the eyewitness described. They included those of police officers.

One of the bodies had been decapitated - additional victims were "totally disfigured", he reported. Many also had what he described as blade trauma.

Over 120 individuals lost their lives in the Tuesday operation against a criminal group - the bloodiest action the municipality has seen.

The photographer reported that he initially learned concerning the action Tuesday morning by residents from the Alemão area, who contacted him telling him gunfire had erupted.

The reporter went to the Getúlio Vargas hospital, where the bodies were being brought.

The photographer stated that the police prevented journalists from entering the Penha neighborhood, where the police action was under way.

"Security forces created a barrier and said: 'Media representatives are not allowed to pass'."

But Itan, who was raised in that neighborhood, explained he managed to gain access past the security perimeter, where he remained until dawn.

He reported during the night, local residents started looking the hillside that separates Penha from the nearby Alemão neighbourhood for loved ones who were unaccounted for after the operation.

Community members from the Penha area organized the located casualties in a square - and Itan's photos show the emotions of those present.

"The harsh reality of it all impacted me profoundly: the pain of loved ones, parents losing consciousness, pregnant wives, crying, angry family members," the photographer recalled.

The eyewitness

The official of the state declared that the massive police operation involving around 2,500 law enforcement members was aimed at preventing an illegal organization called Comando Vermelho from growing their influence.

Initially, the Rio state government stated that sixty alleged criminals and four police officers" were fatally injured in the operation.

They have since said that initial estimates suggests that 117 alleged criminals were fatally injured.

Rio's public defender's office, that offers legal help to the poor, has estimated the total number of people killed to be 132.

According to researchers, Red Command represents the unique criminal entity that recently has succeeded to expand its territory across the region.

It is widely considered one of the two largest gangs in Brazil, alongside a rival criminal group, and has a history extending half a century.

According to reporter Rafael Soares, who has been covering crime in Rio over many years, the criminal organization "functions as a network" with neighborhood bosses affiliating with the group and serving as "operational allies".

The gang engages primarily in drug trafficking, additionally trafficking guns, precious metals, petroleum products, liquor and tobacco.

Based on official reports, organization members possess significant weaponry and police said that throughout the operation, they encountered resistance from explosive-laden drones.

The state leader of Rio state, Cláudio Castro, described organization participants as drug terrorists and described the security forces killed in the raid as brave public servants.

Nevertheless, the total of casualties during the raid has faced scrutiny from international human rights authorities stating they were "shocked".

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

"We did not plan to result in deaths. We wanted to take suspects into custody without harm," he stated.

He added that the events intensified due to the alleged criminals had retaliated: "It resulted of the resistance they carried out and the excessive violence from the gang members."

The state leader further reported that the casualties displayed by locals in the area had been "tampered with".

Through a message through digital channels, he asserted that certain victims had been taken of military-style attire that he stated they possessed "to redirect responsibility onto the police".

Felipe Curi from the police department additionally stated that tactical gear, body armor, and weapons" were stripped from the victims and displayed evidence seemingly depicting a person stripping military attire {off a corpse