The body count grew in South America?s largest city as police ? who lost 41 comrades in gang attacks ? killed 22 more suspected criminals. Authorities said little about the latest deaths, generating criticism from rights groups.

Police did not identify any of those they killed, say where they were killed or in what circumstances, Sao Paulo?s leading newspapers reported .

Human rights activists said they feared innocent people may have been hurt in the strikes by police enraged by a notorious gang?s attacks on officers on the streets, at their stations, in their homes and at afterwork hangouts.

Sao Paulo state public safety secretary, told reporters the identities of the criminals killed were not revealed ?so as not to jeopardize investigations.?The latest deaths boosted the overall death toll to 156 since a wave of violence enveloped Sao Paulo last Friday, and came after officers shot 33 presumed gang members dead only a day earlier.

?The climate of terror can?t be turned into carte blanche to kill,? said Ariel de Castro Alves, coordinator of Brazil's National Human Rights Movement.