After Indian Teen’s Death, Father Urges New York To End Hours Carriage Rides

The father of an  Indian teenager who died in a horse carriage accident in New York has urged the New York City Council to ban horse-drawn carriages, saying the tragedy could have been prevented.

Speaking at a Council hearing on Wednesday ,Deepak Mahajan appealed for the passage of a proposed law named after his son, Romanch Mahajan, who was killed last month in Central Park.

How The Accident Happened

Romanch had travelled to New York with his parents and younger brother to celebrate finishing school. During a horse carriage ride, the driver reportedly got off to take a family photograph. The horse suddenly bolted, throwing Romanch’s mother, Priya Mahajan, from the carriage.

Romanch jumped off to save his mother but suffered a fatal head injury after hitting the ground. Mahajan said the accident was the result of a safety lapse and that the driver should never have left the carriage unattended.

Support For The Bill

Council Speaker Julie Menin called Romanch a hero and said the proposed law would help protect residents, tourists and horses. Romanch’s aunt, Sovia Thukral, also urged lawmakers to support the bill so that no other family suffers a similar loss.

The proposal to ban horse-drawn carriages has been debated in New York for decades, but Romanch’s death has renewed support for the measure.

Family’s Loss

Mahajan said the family had travelled to New York to celebrate Romanch’s graduation and admission to a prestigious university in India.

“We came to New York as a family of four,” he said. “We are learning hour by hour to cope with life as we are three now.”