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Bruno Itan

An eyewitness who observed the aftermath of a massive law enforcement action in the Brazilian city has described how residents returned with mutilated bodies of those who had died.

The bodies "kept piling up: the numbers kept rising", the photographer reported. They included those of police officers.

A particular victim was discovered headless - others were "severely damaged", he said. Many also had what appeared to be knife injuries.

In excess of 120 victims were killed during the security action against a criminal group - the bloodiest action in the city.

The eyewitness explained that he initially learned to the raid early on Tuesday by residents living in Alemão, who reached out telling him an armed confrontation was occurring.

The photographer went to the Getúlio Vargas hospital, where the victims were arriving.

The eyewitness reported that law enforcement prevented journalists from accessing the affected area, where the police action was under way.

"Police officers established a perimeter and said: 'Media representatives are not allowed to pass'."

Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who spent his childhood in that neighborhood, stated he was able to enter past the security perimeter, where he remained through the night.

He reported that evening, community members began to search the elevated terrain which divides the community of Penha and the nearby Alemão neighbourhood for family members who had been missing after the operation.

Community members of the Penha neighbourhood organized the recovered bodies in a square - the photographer's images reveal the emotions of the gathered crowd.

"The harsh reality of what occurred impacted me profoundly: the sorrow of relatives, mothers fainting, women carrying children, weeping, angry family members," the reporter recounted.

The eyewitness

The governor of the region stated that the massive police operation deploying about 2,500 law enforcement members was intended to preventing a gang referred to as Comando Vermelho from growing their influence.

At first, local officials claimed that "60 suspects plus four law enforcement personnel" had been killed in the operation.

They have since said that their "preliminary" count suggests that 117 individuals have been killed.

The public legal service, that gives legal support to the poor, has calculated the total number of people killed to be 132.

Based on expert analysis, the gang stands as the sole illegal faction that recently has managed to increase its control in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

It is generally regarded among the biggest criminal organizations nationally, together with First Capital Command, and has a history extending half a century.

According to reporter Rafael Soares, with extensive experience documenting illegal operations in Rio over many years, the gang "operates like a franchise" with local criminal leaders joining the organization and serving as "operational allies".

The organization focuses mainly on narcotics distribution, while also dealing in firearms, precious metals, fuel, beverages smoking products.

Based on official reports, gang members have substantial firearms and officials reported that throughout the operation, they came under attack using drone-delivered explosives.

The state leader of the state, the political leader, characterized gang affiliates as "narcoterrorists" and referred to the security forces who died during the operation as brave public servants.

However, the count of casualties in the security action has come in for criticism from international human rights authorities stating they were "shocked".

In a media appearance the following day, Governor Castro supported law enforcement.

"It wasn't our intention to result in deaths. We aimed to detain everyone safely," he declared.

He continued that the circumstances intensified due to the alleged criminals resisted aggressively: "It occurred of the resistance they implemented and the disproportionate use of force by those criminals."

The state leader also said that the bodies presented by community members in Penha had been "tampered with".

Through a message on online platforms, he asserted that certain victims had been removed of the camouflage clothing that he stated they possessed "in order to shift blame onto the police".

Felipe Curi representing security forces further reported that "camouflage clothing, protective equipment, and weapons" were taken away from the victims and presented video appearing to show a man removing tactical gear {off a corpse