Mamata Banerjee spoke to the media in the presence of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

A scuffle broke out between Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the death toll in the Odisha train accident. Vaishnaw was standing with Mamata Banerjee at the spot when she was talking to the media. He said the exact number of dead was to be given and said the deaths could be more than 500.

When the rescue work was not completed in three bogies at the spot, Mamata Banerjee said, "I have heard that it (the death toll) could be 500."

#WATCH | Earlier today, WB CM Mamata Banerjee and Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw disagreed on death toll. Mamata Banerjee said, "I heard it can go upto 500" while Vaishnaw said "238 as per state government data"

According to Indian Railways, the death toll in #OdishaTrainTragedy is... pic.twitter.com/3DDYQQ63AC

— ANI (@ANI) June 3, 2023

Mamata asked what is the death toll after the rescue work was completed. Vaishnaw replied that 238 people died in the accident. The accident involved two passenger trains and a goods train. He said that this figure is the data of the state government.

Banerjee, however, insisted that the number of deaths reported by the Union minister was till Friday. "It was yesterday. We have information since yesterday that it is 238... What is the issue, we can talk about it."

According to the Indian Railways, the death toll in the Odisha train tragedy stands at 288, while 803 people have been injured and 56 of them have been seriously injured.

Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee has been the Railway Minister in the past. He said he was saddened and shocked by the accident and it should be properly investigated. Two passenger trains involved in the accident are connected to stations in Bengal.

Banerjee said the railways should be given "special treatment". "Railways had a separate budget. He alleged that there was a "lack of coordination". "Railways is like our child. I am also a member of the railway family," she said, adding that she was ready to give suggestions to the minister.

Later, Ashwini Vaishnaw tried to play down the disagreement with Mamata Banerjee, saying this was not the time to do politics, but to see that restoration happens quickly. Asked about disagreeing with Mamata Banerjee on the number of deaths, he said, "We want complete transparency, this is not the time to do politics, it is time to focus on ensuring that restoration takes place at the earliest."

Mamata Banerjee reached Balasore on Saturday. He described the incident as the "biggest rail accident of the 21st century".

"Coromandel is one of the best express trains. I have been railway minister three times. From what I saw, it seems that this is the biggest rail accident of the 21st century. Such cases are handed over to the Railway Safety Commission and they investigate and then give a report. As far as I know, there was no anti-collision device in the train. If there was a device in the train, it would not have happened. The dead cannot be brought back but now our job is to rescue operations and restore normalcy."

A preliminary report on the incident said three trains were involved in the accident. The Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, Coromandel Express and a goods train collided at Bahanaga Bazar station in Balasore district on three different tracks. In the accident on Friday evening, 17 coaches of the two passenger trains derailed and were badly damaged, it said.