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The eyewitness

A reporter who observed the consequences of an extensive Brazilian police operation in the metropolitan area has reported how residents returned with mutilated bodies of the deceased individuals.

The casualties "continued arriving: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", Bruno Itan stated. They included law enforcement personnel.

One of the bodies was discovered headless - additional victims were "severely damaged", he explained. Numerous victims displayed what he described as stab wounds.

More than 120 people lost their lives during Tuesday's raid against a criminal group - the deadliest such raid Rio has experienced.

The eyewitness stated that residents first notified him to the raid Tuesday morning by local people living in Alemão, who reached out telling him gunfire had erupted.

The photographer made his way to the Getúlio Vargas hospital, where the bodies were being brought.

The eyewitness reported that the police prevented journalists from entering the affected area, where the operation were taking place.

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

But Itan, who grew up in that neighborhood, explained he was able to enter into the restricted zone, where he stayed through the night.

He reported that evening, community members commenced searching the elevated terrain that borders Penha from the adjacent Alemão area for family members who were unaccounted for since the police raid.

Local people living in Penha arranged the discovered victims in a square - the documented evidence show the emotions of those present.

"The brutality of what occurred impacted me deeply: the sorrow of the families, parents losing consciousness, women carrying children, sobbing, furious relatives," the eyewitness remembered.

The eyewitness

The official of the state declared that the large-scale security action with approximately 2,500 law enforcement members was aimed at stopping a gang known as the criminal faction from growing their influence.

Originally, local officials claimed that sixty alleged criminals plus four law enforcement personnel" lost their lives in the raid.

They have since said that initial estimates shows that 117 alleged criminals were fatally injured.

The public legal service, that gives legal support to disadvantaged individuals, has put the overall count of people killed at 132.

Per investigative findings, Red Command is the only criminal group that recently has been able to increase its control throughout Rio state.

It is generally regarded one of the two largest gangs in Brazil, alongside another major gang, and has a history extending half a century.

According to reporter an expert, with extensive experience documenting illegal operations in Rio for years, the gang "functions as a network" with neighborhood bosses affiliating with the group and becoming "business partners".

The criminal group concentrates largely on narcotics distribution, additionally trafficking weapons, valuable minerals, fuel, beverages cigarettes.

Based on official reports, gang members possess significant weaponry and police said that during the raid, they came under attack via weaponized unmanned aircraft.

The state leader of the region, Cláudio Castro, labeled organization participants as criminal extremists and referred to the security forces who died during the operation as courageous individuals.

Nevertheless, the total of people killed in the operation has come in for criticism from international human rights authorities stating they were "shocked".

During a press briefing the following day, Governor Castro justified security actions.

"It wasn't our intention to kill anyone. We aimed to take suspects into custody without harm," he said.

He added that the events had escalated due to the alleged criminals fought back: "It occurred of the retaliation they executed and the excessive violence by the illegal group."

The governor further reported that the bodies shown by residents in Penha had been "tampered with".

Through a message on social media, he said that certain victims had been removed of tactical gear that he stated they possessed "in order to shift blame to security forces".

Felipe Curi of Rio's civil police force further reported that military attire, body armor, and firearms" were stripped from the bodies and presented video apparently demonstrating a person cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse