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The photographer

An eyewitness who observed the aftermath of a massive security raid in Rio de Janeiro has reported how local people brought back mutilated bodies of the deceased individuals.

The victims "kept coming: the numbers kept rising", Bruno Itan stated. The total contained those of police officers.

A particular victim was found without a head - while others appeared "totally disfigured", he explained. Numerous victims displayed what appeared to be blade trauma.

More than 120 people 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 about the operation early on Tuesday by community members living in Alemão, who sent him messages telling him gunfire had erupted.

The reporter made his way to the Getúlio Vargas hospital, where the victims were arriving.

Itan explained that security forces prevented journalists from accessing the operation zone, where the police action was under way.

"Security forces formed a line and announced: 'Journalists cannot proceed beyond this point'."

Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who grew up in that neighborhood, reported he succeeded to enter into the restricted zone, where he remained through the night.

He described that evening, local residents commenced searching the elevated terrain that separates the Penha neighborhood from the adjacent Alemão area for relatives who were unaccounted for after the operation.

Community members living in Penha proceeded to place the recovered bodies in a public space - the documented evidence show the emotions of those present.

"The violence of the situation shook me profoundly: the grief of loved ones, mothers fainting, pregnant wives, weeping, angry family members," the eyewitness remembered.

The photographer

The state leader of the state stated that the extensive law enforcement effort involving around 2,500 law enforcement members was aimed at preventing a criminal group known as Red Command from growing their influence.

Initially, the Rio state government claimed that sixty individuals and four police officers" were fatally injured in the raid.

Officials subsequently stated that early calculations shows that 117 individuals were fatally injured.

Rio's public defender's office, which provides legal assistance to disadvantaged individuals, has calculated the final tally of casualties at 132.

According to researchers, Red Command is the only criminal group that recently has managed to make territorial gains in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

It is generally regarded among the biggest criminal organizations nationally, in company with another major gang, featuring a timeline dating back more than 50 years.

Per Brazilian journalist a specialist, who has long reported on criminal activity in the city extensively, the criminal organization "functions as a network" with neighborhood bosses joining the organization and acting as "business partners".

The gang concentrates largely on narcotics distribution, but also smuggles firearms, gold, petroleum products, alcohol cigarettes.

Per law enforcement statements, criminal affiliates have substantial firearms and authorities stated that while the action was underway, they came under attack using drone-delivered explosives.

The official of the state, Cláudio Castro, labeled gang affiliates as criminal extremists and described the law enforcement personnel fatally injured in the action as "heroes".

Nevertheless, the total of people killed in the security action has faced scrutiny from UN human rights officials stating they were "appalled".

During a press briefing on Wednesday, the official defended the police force.

"We did not plan to result in deaths. We aimed to detain everyone safely," he said.

He further explained that the situation worsened due to the alleged criminals fought back: "It was a consequence of the counterattack they carried out and the overwhelming response by those criminals."

The state leader also said that the victims shown by residents in Penha had been "tampered with".

In a post through digital channels, he said that particular individuals had been stripped of military-style attire which he claimed they wore "in order to shift blame onto the police".

Felipe Curi of Rio's civil police force also said that tactical gear, body armor, and arms" had been removed from the bodies and presented video apparently demonstrating an individual cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse