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The eyewitness

A reporter who observed the results of an extensive Brazilian police operation in the metropolitan area has recounted how local people returned with badly injured victims of people who lost their lives.

The bodies "kept coming: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", the eyewitness described. Among them were security forces.

A particular victim was discovered headless - while others appeared "completely mutilated", he explained. Several bodies showed what appeared to be knife injuries.

More than 120 people were fatally injured during the security action against a criminal group - the most lethal operation the municipality has seen.

The eyewitness stated that residents first notified him concerning the action early on Tuesday by residents living in Alemão, who sent him messages alerting him an armed confrontation was occurring.

The eyewitness traveled to the Getúlio Vargas hospital, where the bodies were arriving.

The eyewitness reported that security forces prevented journalists from entering the operation zone, where the operation were occurring.

"Security forces created a barrier and said: 'Media representatives are not allowed to pass'."

However, the photographer, who grew up in the area, stated he succeeded to make his way into the restricted zone, where he continued through the night.

He reported during the night, area inhabitants began to search the hillside which divides Penha from the neighboring Alemão community for family members whose whereabouts were unknown following the security action.

Residents living in Penha arranged the discovered victims in an open area - the documented evidence reveal the reaction of the people there.

"The violence of it all shook me profoundly: the grief of loved ones, mothers fainting, pregnant wives, crying, furious relatives," the reporter recounted.

The photographer

The state leader of the state announced that the large-scale security action involving around 2,500 law enforcement members was aimed at preventing a gang called Red Command from increasing their control.

Originally, the Rio state government claimed that sixty alleged criminals plus four law enforcement personnel" lost their lives in the operation.

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

The legal assistance organization, which provides legal assistance to low-income residents, has put the final tally of fatalities as 132.

According to researchers, Red Command stands as the sole illegal faction which in recent years has succeeded to expand its territory in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

It is widely considered one of the two largest gangs nationally, together with another major gang, and has a history extending half a century.

Based on correspondent Rafael Soares, who has been covering illegal operations in Rio for years, the criminal organization "works as a system" with local criminal leaders forming part of the gang and serving as "commercial associates".

The criminal group concentrates largely on drug trafficking, additionally trafficking weapons, valuable minerals, petroleum products, alcohol cigarettes.

Per law enforcement statements, organization members have substantial firearms and police said that while the action was underway, they encountered resistance from explosive-laden drones.

The governor of the state, Cláudio Castro, characterized organization participants as criminal extremists and described the law enforcement personnel who died during the operation as courageous individuals.

But the number of fatalities in the operation has come in for criticism with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights stating they were "shocked".

During a press briefing the next day, the official justified security actions.

"There was no objective to result in deaths. We wanted to detain everyone safely," he said.

He further explained that the events worsened because the suspects fought back: "It occurred of the retaliation they implemented and the excessive violence by those criminals."

The governor also said that the casualties shown by residents in the area were "altered".

Via a statement on online platforms, he said that particular individuals had been stripped of tactical gear that he stated they possessed "to redirect responsibility onto the police".

A police official representing security forces additionally stated that "camouflage clothing, vests, and weapons" were stripped from the bodies and displayed evidence appearing to show an individual cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse