By Admin 
A major police operation was conducted on Tuesday (28 October 2025) in Rio de Janeiro, the capital of the South American country Brazil. About 2,500 policemen were involved in this operation. The main target of the action was the drug gang Red Command, which has been active in favelas for many years.
The operation began in the morning, when police entered several areas with helicopters and armored vehicles. As soon as the security forces started moving forward, the gang members opened intense fire at the police. The encounter between the two sides continued for hours, in which more than 130 people died. Four policemen are also said to be among those killed.
Tension on the streets of Rio after the encounter
After the incident the atmosphere of the city became very tense. In many areas, dead bodies remained lying on the roads and local people protested against it. The family members alleged that the police also opened fire on innocent people. Many families demonstrated by placing the dead bodies on the streets and called this action a massacre.
Supreme Court sought accountability
The Supreme Court of Brazil has itself taken cognizance of this incident. Justice Alexander de Moraes has asked the state government and police officials to submit a detailed report. The court has asked whether all the deceased have been identified and whether the forensic investigation has been completed. The court also said that if there is a violation of rules in the use of force, then it is a serious threat to democratic values and human rights.
Criticism from human rights organizations
The United Nations (UN) and Human Rights Watch (HRW) have given a strong reaction to this operation. Both organizations say that this is an action like collective punishment in the name of law. The UN Human Rights Commission said in a statement that transparency and accountability are necessary in such a large number of deaths. Local NGOs said that apart from bullets, knife-like wounds were found on many dead bodies, which probably point towards extra-judicial killing i.e. killing without legal process.
Police side fight against narco terrorism
Rio Police said in its statement that this operation was against narco-terrorism. According to him, Red Command had been trying to take over the areas of rival gang Third Pure Command (TCP) in recent months, due to which the violence had increased. Police say that the gang had modern weapons, grenades and drones. According to the police spokesperson, our aim was to destroy the hideouts of these gangs so that security can be ensured in civilian areas.
Old roots of Rio’s drug war
Rio de Janeiro has long been infamous for drug mafia and police encounters. Many crime organizations are active in the favelas, of which the Red Command is the oldest and most influential gang. It not only controls the drug trade but also maintains its hold on local services like electricity, water and security. Every year hundreds of civilians are killed in these gang wars. Often police action turns so violent that even innocent people become victims.
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