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The eyewitness

A reporter who observed the consequences of an extensive security raid in the metropolitan area has reported how local people returned with badly injured victims of people who lost their lives.

The bodies "continued arriving: the numbers kept rising", the eyewitness described. Among them were those of police officers.

A particular victim was found without a head - others were "severely damaged", he explained. Numerous victims displayed what appeared to be stab wounds.

In excess of 120 victims were fatally injured during Tuesday's raid targeting an illegal organization - the bloodiest action the municipality has seen.

The photographer explained that residents first notified him about the operation Tuesday morning by community members of the Alemão neighbourhood, who reached out informing him there was a shoot-out.

The reporter went to the Getúlio Vargas hospital, where the bodies were being brought.

Itan explained that security forces stopped members of the press from accessing the operation zone, where the police action was under way.

"Security forces created a barrier and declared: 'Media representatives doesn't get past here'."

Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who grew up in the community, explained he succeeded to make his way past the security perimeter, where he continued until dawn.

He explained that evening, community members began to search the mountainous area which divides Penha from the neighboring Alemão community for loved ones who were unaccounted for following the security action.

Local people from the Penha area organized the recovered bodies in a public space - the documented evidence show the reaction of the people there.

"The brutality of it all shook me deeply: the grief of loved ones, mothers fainting, women carrying children, weeping, furious relatives," the reporter recounted.

The photographer

The governor of Rio state declared that the extensive law enforcement effort deploying about 2,500 law enforcement members was aimed at stopping an illegal organization referred to as Red Command from expanding its territory.

At first, local officials claimed that sixty individuals plus four law enforcement personnel" were fatally injured in the operation.

Officials subsequently stated that early calculations shows that 117 alleged criminals were fatally injured.

The public legal service, that offers legal help to low-income residents, has put the final tally of fatalities to be 132.

Per investigative findings, Red Command represents the unique criminal entity that recently has succeeded to increase its control in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

Experts commonly view among the biggest criminal organizations nationally, in company with another major gang, featuring a timeline spanning over five decades.

Per Brazilian journalist a specialist, who has long reported on criminal activity in the city for years, Red Command "works as a system" with area gang leaders affiliating with the group and acting as "business partners".

The gang focuses mainly on illegal drug trade, while also dealing in weapons, precious metals, energy resources, liquor smoking products.

According to the authorities, gang members have substantial firearms and officials reported that while the action was underway, they came under attack from explosive-laden drones.

The governor of the state, the government representative, described Red Command members as criminal extremists and described the four police officers who died during the operation as courageous individuals.

But the number of people killed in the security action has come in for criticism with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights expressing they felt "horrified".

At a news conference the following day, Governor Castro defended the police force.

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

He continued that the events worsened due to the alleged criminals had retaliated: "It occurred of the resistance they implemented and the disproportionate use of force by those criminals."

The governor additionally stated that the bodies shown by residents in the neighborhood were "altered".

Via a statement on social media, he said that certain victims had been stripped of tactical gear which he claimed they wore "to transfer accusation onto the police".

Felipe Curi from the police department additionally stated that tactical gear, body armor, and firearms" were taken away from the casualties and showed footage apparently demonstrating a man cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse