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Bruno Itan

A photographer who documented the aftermath of a massive law enforcement action in the Brazilian city has recounted how local people brought back mutilated bodies of the deceased individuals.

The casualties "kept piling up: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", the photographer reported. They included security forces.

One individual was discovered headless - additional victims were "severely damaged", he explained. Several bodies showed what he described as stab wounds.

Over 120 individuals lost their lives during the security action on a criminal gang - the bloodiest action in the city.

Bruno Itan stated that he initially learned about the operation Tuesday morning by community members from the Alemão area, who sent him messages informing him there was a shoot-out.

The photographer made his way to a local medical facility, where the bodies were being brought.

The eyewitness reported that security forces prevented journalists from accessing the Penha neighborhood, where the operation were occurring.

"Law enforcement personnel created a barrier and said: 'The press cannot proceed beyond this point'."

However, the photographer, who grew up in that neighborhood, reported he managed to gain access into the restricted zone, where he stayed until dawn.

He described during the night, local residents started looking the mountainous area that borders Penha from the nearby Alemão neighbourhood for loved ones who were unaccounted for since the police raid.

Residents living in Penha proceeded to place the located casualties in a square - and Itan's photos show the reaction of the gathered crowd.

"The harsh reality of the situation shook me profoundly: the sorrow of loved ones, parents losing consciousness, pregnant wives, weeping, outraged parents," the eyewitness remembered.

The photographer

The governor of Rio state declared that the massive police operation deploying about 2,500 officers was designed to preventing a gang called Comando Vermelho from expanding its territory.

Initially, state authorities stated that sixty individuals plus four law enforcement personnel" were fatally injured in the operation.

Authorities later reported that their "preliminary" count suggests that 117 individuals lost their lives.

The public legal service, that gives legal support to low-income residents, has put the final tally of casualties at 132.

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

It is widely considered as a major illegal faction in Brazil, together with First Capital Command, featuring a timeline dating back more than 50 years.

Based on correspondent an expert, with extensive experience documenting illegal operations in Rio extensively, the gang "works as a system" with neighborhood bosses forming part of the gang and becoming "business partners".

The gang concentrates largely on illegal drug trade, but also smuggles weapons, valuable minerals, energy resources, beverages cigarettes.

According to the authorities, criminal affiliates have substantial firearms and authorities stated that throughout the operation, they faced assaults using drone-delivered explosives.

The official of the region, the political leader, labeled organization participants as drug terrorists and described the four police officers killed in the raid as "heroes".

However, the count of casualties in the operation has come in for criticism with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights stating they were "shocked".

At a news conference the next day, Governor Castro supported law enforcement.

"We did not plan to cause fatalities. We intended to take suspects into custody without harm," he stated.

He added that the circumstances worsened because the suspects fought back: "It was a consequence of the retaliation they implemented and the excessive violence by the illegal group."

The official further reported that the casualties shown by residents in the neighborhood were "altered".

Via a statement through digital channels, he said that some of them had been removed of tactical gear which he claimed they wore "to transfer accusation to security forces".

Felipe Curi representing security forces also said that "camouflage clothing, protective equipment, and firearms" were taken away from the bodies and displayed evidence apparently demonstrating a man cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse