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Bruno Itan

A reporter who observed the results of an extensive Brazilian police operation in Rio de Janeiro has recounted how residents brought back disfigured remains of the deceased individuals.

The victims "kept coming: the numbers kept rising", Bruno Itan described. The total contained those of police officers.

One of the bodies was found without a head - while others appeared "severely damaged", he reported. Many also had what he described as stab wounds.

In excess of 120 victims lost their lives during Tuesday's raid against a criminal group - the deadliest such raid Rio has experienced.

Bruno Itan reported that he initially learned about the operation in the early hours by community members of the Alemão neighbourhood, who contacted him telling him gunfire had erupted.

The reporter traveled to the healthcare center, where the victims were coming in.

Itan explained that law enforcement blocked media personnel from accessing the operation zone, where the police action was under way.

"Security forces created a barrier and announced: 'Media representatives cannot proceed beyond this point'."

Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who grew up in the area, explained he was able to enter past the security perimeter, where he continued until dawn.

He explained that Tuesday night, community members commenced searching the hillside which divides the Penha neighborhood from the neighboring Alemão community for relatives whose whereabouts were unknown since the police raid.

Local people living in Penha proceeded to place the recovered bodies in a square - the documented evidence reveal the reaction of the people there.

"The brutality of what occurred affected me a lot: the sorrow of loved ones, mothers fainting, pregnant wives, crying, outraged parents," the reporter recounted.

Bruno Itan

The official of Rio state declared that the massive police operation with approximately 2,500 security personnel was designed to preventing a criminal group referred to as Red Command from expanding its territory.

At first, state authorities stated that "60 suspects and four police officers" were fatally injured in the operation.

They have since said that initial estimates indicates that 117 individuals were fatally injured.

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

According to researchers, the gang represents the unique criminal entity that recently has been able to expand its territory in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

Experts commonly view one of the two largest gangs nationally, together with First Capital Command, with a background spanning over five decades.

Per correspondent a specialist, who has been covering criminal activity in the city for years, Red Command "works as a system" with neighborhood bosses affiliating with the group and becoming "business partners".

The organization focuses mainly on illegal drug trade, but also smuggles firearms, valuable minerals, petroleum products, alcohol smoking products.

Per law enforcement statements, criminal affiliates possess significant weaponry and officials reported that while the action was underway, they came under attack via weaponized unmanned aircraft.

The governor of the region, the political leader, labeled organization participants as "narcoterrorists" and called the law enforcement personnel who died during the operation as courageous individuals.

However, the count of fatalities during the raid has faced scrutiny from UN human rights officials expressing they felt "appalled".

At a news conference the next day, Governor Castro justified security actions.

"There was no objective to result in deaths. We intended to take suspects into custody without harm," he declared.

He continued that the events intensified because the suspects fought back: "It was a consequence of the retaliation they executed and the disproportionate use of force by the illegal group."

The governor also said that the victims shown by residents in Penha had been "manipulated".

Through a message on social media, he said that some of them had been taken of the camouflage clothing that he stated they possessed "in order to shift blame to security forces".

A law enforcement representative representing security forces additionally stated that tactical gear, body armor, and firearms" were taken away from the victims and presented video apparently demonstrating a man stripping military attire {off a corpse