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A reporter who documented the aftermath of a massive Brazilian police operation in the metropolitan area has described how residents brought back mutilated bodies of those who had died.

The victims "continued arriving: the numbers kept rising", the eyewitness stated. Among them were law enforcement personnel.

A particular victim was found without a head - while others appeared "totally disfigured", he reported. Many also had what he described as knife injuries.

In excess of 120 victims lost their lives during Tuesday's raid targeting an illegal organization - the most lethal operation Rio has experienced.

Bruno Itan stated that residents first notified him to the raid in the early hours by community members living in Alemão, who reached out informing him there was a shoot-out.

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

Itan explained that law enforcement stopped members of the press from entering the affected area, where the police action were taking place.

"Police officers established a perimeter and declared: 'Journalists doesn't get past here'."

But Itan, who was raised in that neighborhood, reported he managed to make his way into the cordoned-off area, where he continued until dawn.

He reported during the night, community members started looking the mountainous area that borders Penha from the adjacent Alemão area for family members whose whereabouts were unknown following the security action.

Residents of the Penha neighbourhood proceeded to place the located casualties in a public space - the documented evidence reveal the response of those present.

"The harsh reality of it all impacted me a lot: the grief of loved ones, women collapsing, expectant spouses, weeping, angry family members," the eyewitness remembered.

Bruno Itan

The governor of Rio state declared that the extensive law enforcement effort with approximately 2,500 law enforcement members was designed to halting a criminal group called the criminal faction from increasing their control.

Initially, the Rio state government stated that sixty alleged criminals plus four law enforcement personnel" had been killed in the operation.

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

The legal assistance organization, which provides legal assistance to disadvantaged individuals, has put the overall count of fatalities at 132.

Based on expert analysis, the criminal organization represents the unique criminal entity that in the past few years has succeeded to increase its control throughout Rio state.

It is widely considered as a major illegal faction in Brazil, in company with a rival criminal group, and has a history extending half a century.

According to reporter an expert, with extensive experience documenting crime in Rio over many years, the gang "works as a system" with local criminal leaders forming part of the gang and becoming "business partners".

The criminal group focuses mainly on drug trafficking, additionally trafficking firearms, gold, fuel, beverages smoking products.

According to the authorities, gang members are well armed and police said that throughout the operation, they came under attack from explosive-laden drones.

The state leader of the state, Cláudio Castro, characterized Red Command members as criminal extremists and referred to the four police officers who died during the operation as "heroes".

However, the count 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 state leader justified security actions.

"There was no objective to cause fatalities. We intended to detain everyone safely," he said.

He continued that the events had escalated due to the alleged criminals had retaliated: "It was a consequence of the counterattack they carried out and the excessive violence from the gang members."

The state leader further reported that the bodies displayed by locals in Penha had been "manipulated".

Through a message on social media, he asserted that some of them had been stripped of military-style attire which he claimed they wore "to transfer accusation onto the police".

A police official representing security forces also said that tactical gear, protective equipment, and arms" had been removed from the casualties and showed footage apparently demonstrating a man cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse