THE body count from the security forces’ assault on Tivoli Gardens now stands at 73, the police told journalists yesterday.

According to Deputy Commissioner of Police Glenmore Hinds, 15 of the bodies were badly decomposed and were being prepared for burial.

“As it relates to bodies that we currently have, we have 73 bodies. Fifteen, as (Information) Minister (Daryl) Vaz indicated, have been processed for burial. Of these 15, we are not certain as to whether or not six came from the area of operation. We are certain that three did not, and three, we were advised, came from an area close to the area of operation and could be murder victims,” Hinds told journalists at a media briefing at the Hilton Kingston Hotel.

The figure is 29 more than that given on Tuesday when police said 44 persons had been killed, a day after the police and military entered the political enclave to flush out Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke and criminals loyal to him.

Coke is wanted by the United States Government who has accused him of trafficking in guns and drugs. However, his supporters barricaded the community after the Government announced last week that it would finally sign a request for his extradition submitted last August.

The police issued repeated pleas for the community to dismantle the barricades and for Coke to turn himself over to the authorities. However, gunmen from Tivoli and neighbouring communities shot at the police when they tried to clear the blockades and attacked the cops in other sections of the city in what appeared to be an orchestrated assault on the State. In the process, two police stations — Hannah Town and Darling Street — as well as a section of the Coronation market were torched by gunmen.

Yesterday, Hinds could not say how many of those killed were women, but said an overwhelming majority were males. He also said the number of people detained was now at 560, but some were being processed for release.

Hinds also said that a release panel has been established to make recommendations for the release of some of the detainees.

So far, three security officials have been killed, 28 injured, and 26 civilians injured.

Hinds also said that six firearms — four rifles and two pistols — and close to 8,000 rounds of ammunition were recovered during the operation.

Minister Vaz said all efforts will be made to identify all persons killed and the circumstances under which they died would be investigated.

“The Government is committed and insistent that the rights of citizens be respected and observed,” said Vaz. “As a result, the Government has made the decision to set up a permanent presence of the public defender’s office in the areas of operation in Tivoli Gardens and Denham Town.”