A photographer who witnessed the aftermath of a massive Brazilian police operation in Rio de Janeiro has told the BBC of how residents came back with mutilated bodies of those who had died.
The bodies kept coming: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45..., Bruno Itan told BBC Brasil. They included those of police officers.
One of the bodies had been decapitated - others were totally disfigured, he said. Many also had what he says were stab wounds.
More than 120 people were killed during Tuesday's raid on a criminal gang - the deadliest such raid in the city.
Itan, who was alerted to the raid by residents of the Alemão neighbourhood, made his way to the Getúlio Vargas hospital, where the bodies were arriving. Despite police attempts to keep the press out, he used his familiarity with the area to gain access to the scene.
Residents of the Penha neighbourhood proceeded to display the recovered bodies in a public square, showcasing the devastation and sorrow inflicted upon families—mothers fainting and parents expressing their outrage over the deaths.
Initial government reports suggested a count of 60 suspects and four police officers killed; however, subsequent evaluations indicated a death toll of 132, drawing widespread condemnation for the scale of violence.
Governor Cláudio Castro defended the police actions as necessary against Comando Vermelho, a powerful criminal organization involved in drug trafficking and other illegal activities, labeling its members as narcoterrorists.
The United Nations expressed horror at the incident, and legal scrutiny is increasing as Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes has summoned the Governor for a hearing regarding the police’s actions.
As the dust settles on this tragic event, calls for accountability and police reform echo across Brazil, as civil society grapples with the implications of such brutal conflict in their communities.
