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The eyewitness

A reporter who witnessed the aftermath of an extensive Brazilian police operation in the metropolitan area has reported how local people returned with mutilated bodies of the deceased individuals.

The bodies "continued arriving: the count kept increasing", the photographer described. They included law enforcement personnel.

One individual had been decapitated - while others appeared "completely mutilated", he said. Numerous victims displayed what he described as blade trauma.

More than 120 people were fatally injured in the Tuesday operation against a criminal group - the most lethal operation Rio has experienced.

The photographer explained that residents first notified him about the operation early on Tuesday by residents of the Alemão neighbourhood, who sent him messages alerting him there was a shoot-out.

The photographer went to the healthcare center, where the bodies were being brought.

Itan explained that the police prevented journalists from accessing the operation zone, where the operation were taking place.

"Police officers established a perimeter and announced: 'The press doesn't get past here'."

But Itan, who was raised in the area, stated he was able to enter into the restricted zone, where he stayed through the night.

He described that Tuesday night, local residents commenced searching the elevated terrain which divides the community of Penha and the nearby Alemão neighbourhood for loved ones whose whereabouts were unknown since the police raid.

Local people of the Penha neighbourhood proceeded to place the recovered bodies in an open area - the photographer's images reveal the response of those present.

"The harsh reality of the situation affected me profoundly: the grief of loved ones, women collapsing, pregnant wives, sobbing, outraged parents," the eyewitness remembered.

The photographer

The official of the region declared that the massive police operation involving around 2,500 officers was intended to halting a gang called Comando Vermelho from increasing their control.

Originally, the Rio state government stated that "60 suspects and four police officers" had been killed in the raid.

Authorities later reported that their "preliminary" count indicates that 117 "suspects" lost their lives.

The public legal service, that offers legal help to disadvantaged individuals, has calculated the overall count of casualties as 132.

According to researchers, the gang stands as the sole illegal faction that in the past few years has been able to expand its territory in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

Experts commonly view among the biggest criminal organizations in Brazil, alongside a rival criminal group, and has a history dating back more than 50 years.

According to Brazilian journalist an expert, with extensive experience documenting crime in Rio extensively, the gang "operates like a franchise" with local criminal leaders forming part of the gang and acting as "business partners".

The gang engages primarily in drug trafficking, additionally trafficking firearms, precious metals, fuel, liquor cigarettes.

According to the authorities, criminal affiliates are well armed and officials reported that throughout the operation, they came under attack via weaponized unmanned aircraft.

The governor of the region, Cláudio Castro, characterized Red Command members as criminal extremists and referred to the law enforcement personnel fatally injured in the action as courageous individuals.

However, the count of people killed in the operation has faced scrutiny from international human rights authorities expressing they felt "shocked".

In a media appearance the next day, Governor Castro justified security actions.

"It wasn't our intention to kill anyone. We aimed to detain everyone safely," he declared.

He added that the circumstances intensified due to the alleged criminals resisted aggressively: "It occurred of the resistance they carried out and the overwhelming response by the illegal group."

The official further reported that the victims displayed by locals in Penha were "altered".

Via a statement on social media, he claimed that particular individuals had been removed of the camouflage clothing he said they had been wearing "in order to shift blame toward law enforcement".

Felipe Curi representing security forces additionally stated that military attire, body armor, and arms" were stripped from the bodies and presented video appearing to show a person cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse