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The photographer

A photographer who observed the results of a massive law enforcement action in the metropolitan area has described how local people returned with disfigured remains of those who had died.

The casualties "continued arriving: the count kept increasing", Bruno Itan reported. The total contained law enforcement personnel.

A particular victim had been decapitated - while others appeared "completely mutilated", he explained. Many also had evidence of blade trauma.

In excess of 120 victims were fatally injured during the security action against a criminal group - the deadliest such raid the municipality has seen.

Bruno Itan stated that residents first notified him to the raid Tuesday morning by local people living in Alemão, who contacted him alerting him there was a shoot-out.

The reporter made his way to the Getúlio Vargas hospital, where the casualties were being brought.

The eyewitness reported that law enforcement prevented journalists from entering the operation zone, where the security measures were taking place.

"Security forces established a perimeter and announced: 'Journalists are not allowed to pass'."

However, the photographer, who grew up in that neighborhood, explained he managed to gain access past the security perimeter, where he remained through the night.

He reported that Tuesday night, local residents started looking the hillside that borders Penha from the nearby Alemão neighbourhood for relatives who had been missing since the police raid.

Local people living in Penha organized the discovered victims in a public space - and Itan's photos show the reaction of those present.

"The brutality of it all shook me a lot: the grief of loved ones, women collapsing, expectant spouses, crying, angry family members," the reporter recounted.

The eyewitness

The state leader of the state stated that the extensive law enforcement effort deploying about 2,500 security personnel was designed to stopping a criminal group known as Red Command from growing their influence.

Originally, state authorities maintained that sixty alleged criminals along with four officers" lost their lives in the operation.

Authorities later reported that initial estimates suggests that 117 alleged criminals have been killed.

Rio's public defender's office, which provides legal assistance to low-income residents, has put the final tally of fatalities at 132.

According to researchers, the criminal organization stands as the sole illegal faction which in recent years has been able to expand its territory in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

Experts commonly view one of the two largest gangs nationally, alongside another major gang, featuring a timeline extending half a century.

Based on Brazilian journalist a specialist, who has been covering illegal operations in Rio for years, the criminal organization "functions as a network" with local criminal leaders joining the organization and serving as "commercial associates".

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

According to the authorities, criminal affiliates are well armed and authorities stated that throughout the operation, they faced assaults from explosive-laden drones.

The state leader of the region, the political leader, characterized organization participants as drug terrorists and referred to the security forces killed in the raid as courageous individuals.

However, the count of people killed during the raid has come in for criticism from UN human rights officials stating they were "appalled".

In a media appearance the next day, the state leader justified security actions.

"It wasn't our intention to result in deaths. We wanted to take suspects into custody without harm," he declared.

He further explained that the situation intensified as the individuals fought back: "It was a consequence of the resistance they implemented and the excessive violence from the gang members."

The governor further reported that the casualties shown by residents in Penha had been "manipulated".

Through a message through digital channels, he said that particular individuals had been removed of the camouflage clothing that he stated they possessed "to redirect responsibility to security forces".

A law enforcement representative from the police department additionally stated that military attire, body armor, and firearms" had been removed from the bodies and presented video seemingly depicting a person removing tactical gear {off a corpse