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The eyewitness

A reporter who documented the consequences of a massive security raid in the Brazilian city has reported how community members came back with disfigured remains of people who lost their lives.

The victims "kept coming: the numbers kept rising", the eyewitness stated. They included security forces.

One of the bodies was found without a head - additional victims were "completely mutilated", he said. Many also had evidence of knife injuries.

Over 120 individuals lost their lives during Tuesday's raid against a criminal group - the bloodiest action Rio has experienced.

Bruno Itan explained that he initially learned to the raid Tuesday morning by residents of the Alemão neighbourhood, who contacted him informing him an armed confrontation was occurring.

The eyewitness made his way to the Getúlio Vargas hospital, where the bodies were arriving.

The photographer stated that security forces stopped members of the press from accessing the operation zone, where the security measures were occurring.

"Police officers established a perimeter and announced: 'Media representatives cannot proceed beyond this point'."

Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who spent his childhood in that neighborhood, explained he succeeded to enter past the security perimeter, where he continued until dawn.

He explained that Tuesday night, community members started looking the hillside that borders the community of Penha and the neighboring Alemão community for family members who had been missing following the security action.

Residents from the Penha area arranged the recovered bodies in a public space - the documented evidence show the response of the gathered crowd.

"The violence of the situation shook me deeply: the pain of relatives, mothers fainting, expectant spouses, crying, furious relatives," the eyewitness remembered.

The photographer

The state leader of Rio state stated that the large-scale security action deploying about 2,500 security personnel was aimed at halting a gang referred to as Comando Vermelho from increasing their control.

At first, local officials claimed that "60 suspects and four police officers" lost their lives during the action.

They have since said that early calculations shows that 117 individuals lost their lives.

Rio's public defender's office, that gives legal support to disadvantaged individuals, has put the final tally of people killed at 132.

According to researchers, the criminal organization represents the unique criminal entity which in recent years has managed to increase its control in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

It is generally regarded as a major illegal faction in the country, in company with another major gang, with a background spanning over five decades.

Based on Brazilian journalist Rafael Soares, with extensive experience documenting illegal operations in Rio for years, the gang "works as a system" with neighborhood bosses affiliating with the group and becoming "commercial associates".

The organization engages primarily in narcotics distribution, while also dealing in weapons, gold, energy resources, alcohol and tobacco.

Based on official reports, criminal affiliates have substantial firearms and police said that during the raid, they faced assaults from explosive-laden drones.

The governor of Rio state, the political leader, characterized gang affiliates as "narcoterrorists" and referred to the law enforcement personnel who died during the operation as brave public servants.

But the number of fatalities in the security action has faced scrutiny from UN human rights officials saying it was "appalled".

In a media appearance the next day, the state leader supported law enforcement.

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

He further explained that the events worsened as the individuals had retaliated: "It occurred of the resistance they carried out and the disproportionate use of force by those criminals."

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

Via a statement on online platforms, he said that particular individuals had been removed of tactical gear he said they had been wearing "to transfer accusation onto the police".

A law enforcement representative representing security forces further reported that military attire, body armor, and weapons" had been removed from the casualties and presented video appearing to show an individual stripping military attire {off a corpse