RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Reuters) - Baghdad, Iraq, might be accustomed to seeing houses destroyed. But villagers in Baghdad, Brazil, were surprised and angry when police demolished 100 of their homes -- apparently by mistake.
Upset villagers came to Maranhao state capital Sao Luis on Wednesday claiming the police had demolished their hamlet of Vila Baghdad instead of a squatters settlement about five miles away.

A judge had ordered the demolition of illegally built houses in Formigueiro village and some 70 police with bulldozers Monday went to the area and carried out the work.

"The villagers have a plan of the properties and according to this plan the demolition occurred in the wrong place," Pedro Barreto, a Maranhao state prosecutor, told Reuters on Thursday.

Raimundo Branco, head of the Maranhao state land agency said Vila Baghdad residents were also mostly squatters, but many of them had received ownership documents for their land five years ago.

"If in fact it is proved that their homes have been destroyed we'll provide them with all legal assistance. They can sue the police or the state," he said.

Vila Baghdad residents complained of police violence during the operation. Police denied any violence and said they only followed orders from bailiffs about the location.