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The eyewitness

A photographer who observed the aftermath of a massive law enforcement action in the Brazilian city has reported how local people brought back badly injured victims of those who had died.

The bodies "kept coming: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", Bruno Itan reported. Among them were law enforcement personnel.

A particular victim was discovered headless - others were "completely mutilated", he reported. Numerous victims displayed evidence of stab wounds.

Over 120 individuals lost their lives in the Tuesday operation on a criminal gang - the most lethal operation the municipality has seen.

The photographer explained that he was first alerted to the raid early on Tuesday by community members from the Alemão area, who contacted him alerting him an armed confrontation was occurring.

The photographer made his way to the Getúlio Vargas hospital, where the bodies were coming in.

The eyewitness reported that security forces blocked media personnel from going into the operation zone, where the police action were taking place.

"Security forces created a barrier and announced: 'Journalists doesn't get past here'."

But Itan, who was raised in the area, stated he succeeded to make his way into the cordoned-off area, where he remained until the next morning.

He described that evening, community members commenced searching the hillside that separates the community of Penha and the adjacent Alemão area for relatives who had been missing since the police raid.

Community members of the Penha neighbourhood arranged the located casualties in an open area - the documented evidence display the reaction of the gathered crowd.

"The brutality of what occurred shook me a lot: the pain of loved ones, mothers fainting, women carrying children, weeping, outraged parents," the photographer recalled.

The photographer

The official of Rio state announced that the extensive law enforcement effort with approximately 2,500 officers was intended to preventing an illegal organization called Comando Vermelho from increasing their control.

At first, state authorities stated that sixty alleged criminals plus four law enforcement personnel" lost their lives in the operation.

Authorities later reported that their "preliminary" count suggests that 117 individuals were fatally injured.

Rio's public defender's office, that gives legal support to disadvantaged individuals, has calculated the final tally of casualties at 132.

According to researchers, the gang represents the unique criminal entity which in recent years has managed to expand its territory in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

It is generally regarded one of the two largest gangs in the country, alongside a rival criminal group, and has a history spanning over five decades.

Per Brazilian journalist Rafael Soares, who has been covering crime in Rio for years, the gang "works as a system" with local criminal leaders forming part of the gang and serving as "commercial associates".

The criminal group focuses mainly on illegal drug trade, but also smuggles weapons, valuable minerals, energy resources, beverages smoking products.

According to the authorities, gang members possess significant weaponry and authorities stated that while the action was underway, they faced assaults from explosive-laden drones.

The official of Rio state, the political leader, characterized organization participants as "narcoterrorists" and described the four police officers killed in the raid as "heroes".

However, the count of fatalities in the operation has faced scrutiny from UN human rights officials stating they were "horrified".

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

"It wasn't our intention to cause fatalities. We wanted to detain everyone safely," he stated.

He continued that the circumstances worsened due to the alleged criminals had retaliated: "It occurred of the retaliation they carried out and the excessive violence by those criminals."

The state leader further reported that the casualties shown by residents in the area were "altered".

In a post on online platforms, he claimed that particular individuals had been taken of military-style attire he said they had been wearing "to redirect responsibility to security forces".

Felipe Curi from the police department additionally stated that military attire, body armor, and firearms" were stripped from the bodies and displayed evidence seemingly depicting an individual stripping military attire {off a corpse