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The photographer

A photographer who documented the consequences of an extensive Brazilian police operation in the Brazilian city has described how community members came back with disfigured remains of people who lost their lives.

The casualties "kept piling up: the numbers kept rising", Bruno Itan reported. Among them were law enforcement personnel.

One of the bodies was found without a head - others were "completely mutilated", he said. Many also had what he described as stab wounds.

In excess of 120 victims were killed during the security action on a criminal gang - the deadliest such raid in the city.

The photographer explained that residents first notified him about the operation early on Tuesday by community members from the Alemão area, who reached out alerting him an armed confrontation was occurring.

The photographer went to a local medical facility, where the casualties were coming in.

Itan explained that security forces stopped members of the press from accessing the Penha neighborhood, where the operation were taking place.

"Security forces established a perimeter and declared: 'Media representatives are not allowed to pass'."

But Itan, who grew up in that neighborhood, reported he managed to gain access into the cordoned-off area, where he stayed through the night.

He described that Tuesday night, local residents began to search the mountainous area that separates the Penha neighborhood from the neighboring Alemão community for family members who were unaccounted for following the security action.

Community members of the Penha neighbourhood arranged the discovered victims in an open area - the photographer's images reveal the emotions of those present.

"The brutality of the situation impacted me a lot: the sorrow of loved ones, women collapsing, pregnant wives, weeping, outraged parents," the photographer recalled.

The eyewitness

The state leader of the region declared that the large-scale security action with approximately 2,500 officers was designed to halting a criminal group known as Red Command from growing their influence.

Originally, local officials maintained that sixty alleged criminals and four police officers" were fatally injured in the operation.

Authorities later reported that early calculations suggests that 117 alleged criminals lost their lives.

The public legal service, that offers legal help to the poor, has calculated the final tally of fatalities at 132.

Based on expert analysis, 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 widely considered among the biggest criminal organizations in Brazil, in company with another major gang, and has a history spanning over five decades.

Based on Brazilian journalist a specialist, with extensive experience documenting criminal activity in the city for years, Red Command "works as a system" with local criminal leaders joining the organization and serving as "business partners".

The gang concentrates largely on narcotics distribution, while also dealing in firearms, valuable minerals, energy resources, liquor and tobacco.

Based on official reports, organization members have substantial firearms and police said that while the action was underway, they came under attack via weaponized unmanned aircraft.

The governor of the state, Cláudio Castro, labeled Red Command members as "narcoterrorists" and called the four police officers killed in the raid as brave public servants.

However, the count of casualties in the security action has received condemnation from UN human rights officials stating they were "shocked".

During a press briefing the next day, the official defended the police force.

"We did not plan to cause fatalities. We wanted to detain everyone safely," he declared.

He further explained that the situation had escalated as the individuals fought back: "It occurred of the resistance they carried out and the overwhelming response by those criminals."

The state leader additionally stated that the casualties shown by residents in the neighborhood had been "tampered with".

Via a statement on social media, he said that particular individuals had been taken of the camouflage clothing he said they had been wearing "to redirect responsibility toward law enforcement".

Felipe Curi from the police department additionally stated that tactical gear, protective equipment, and weapons" had been removed from the victims and displayed evidence appearing to show a person removing tactical gear {off a corpse