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.
Bruno Itan told BBC Brasil that he was first alerted to the raidearly on Tuesday by residents of the Alemão neighbourhood, who sent him messages telling him there was a shoot-out. The photographer made his way to the Getúlio Vargas hospital, where the bodies were arriving.
Police officers formed a line and said: 'The press doesn't get past here.' But Itan, who grew up in the area, was able to make his way into the cordoned-off area, where he remained until the next morning. Residents began to search the hillsides for relatives who had been missing since the raid.
Bruno Itan's photos captured the pain and despair of local residents, many of whom fainted upon seeing the bodies, with families visibly grieving the tragic loss.
The governor of Rio state stated that the police operation aimed to stop the expansion of the Comando Vermelho gang. Initially, it was reported that around 60 suspects and four police officers were killed, but later counts revealed the death toll to be significantly higher, with reports of at least 132 fatalities, drawing intense scrutiny and condemnation from human rights organizations.
Witness reports of the incident, including police claims that the bodies had been manipulated to shift blame onto the police, have sparked outrage and calls for transparency regarding the incident and the police's use of force. A summoning for the governor to explain the actions taken during the raid has been set by a Supreme Court Justice.
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.
Bruno Itan told BBC Brasil that he was first alerted to the raidearly on Tuesday by residents of the Alemão neighbourhood, who sent him messages telling him there was a shoot-out. The photographer made his way to the Getúlio Vargas hospital, where the bodies were arriving.
Police officers formed a line and said: 'The press doesn't get past here.' But Itan, who grew up in the area, was able to make his way into the cordoned-off area, where he remained until the next morning. Residents began to search the hillsides for relatives who had been missing since the raid.
Bruno Itan's photos captured the pain and despair of local residents, many of whom fainted upon seeing the bodies, with families visibly grieving the tragic loss.
The governor of Rio state stated that the police operation aimed to stop the expansion of the Comando Vermelho gang. Initially, it was reported that around 60 suspects and four police officers were killed, but later counts revealed the death toll to be significantly higher, with reports of at least 132 fatalities, drawing intense scrutiny and condemnation from human rights organizations.
Witness reports of the incident, including police claims that the bodies had been manipulated to shift blame onto the police, have sparked outrage and calls for transparency regarding the incident and the police's use of force. A summoning for the governor to explain the actions taken during the raid has been set by a Supreme Court Justice.
