Mamdani Renews Call To End Horse Carriages After Punjab Teen’s Death

India-West News Desk

NEW YORK — The death of 18-year-old Romanch Mahajan, a recent high school graduate from Pathankot in India’s Punjab state, following a horse-drawn carriage accident in New York City’s Central Park, has intensified political pressure to phase out the city’s horse carriage industry.

The incident occurred on June 17 while Romanch was on his first visit to the United States with his parents, Deepak and Priya Mahajan, and his younger brother. The family was celebrating his admission to a university in Jaipur after he recently completed high school.

According to reports, the family was taking a carriage ride through Central Park when the driver briefly stepped away to take a photograph. The horse bolted, causing the carriage to strike another vehicle and overturn.

During the chaos, Priya Mahajan was thrown from the carriage. Deepak Mahajan said his son immediately jumped from the moving carriage in an attempt to help his mother.

“We were yelling, ‘Help me, help me!’” Mahajan recalled.

Romanch suffered a fatal head injury and was taken to NewYork-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center, where he later died. His parents and younger brother sustained minor injuries.

The tragedy has renewed debate over the future of horse-drawn carriages in New York City. Reports indicate this was the first human fatality linked to a Central Park horse carriage since the rides were introduced more than 150 years ago. Local reports have also cited eight horse-related incidents in the park over the past 13 months.

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who campaigned on ending the industry, reiterated his support for phasing out horse-drawn carriages. He said he would work with the City Council, carriage operators and animal welfare advocates to “deliver a just transition that protects workers while ending horse-drawn carriages in Central Park once and for all.”

City Council leaders have also scheduled a hearing next month on Ryder’s Law, legislation aimed at strengthening safety requirements for the horse carriage industry.

The Transport Workers Union Local 100, which represents carriage drivers and owners, suspended the driver involved in the accident and announced that the horse would be retired from service.

“We’re absolutely gutted and stunned by this tragedy. We’ve never had a fatal accident like this before,” Alexander Kemp, vice president of Transport Workers Union Local 100, said. He added that the stables had been temporarily closed while operators reviewed safety procedures.

The Mahajan family is known in Pathankot for operating local businesses, including a hotel, a travel company and a jewelry store.

Romanch was a graduate of The Angel’s Public School in Pathankot. In a social media tribute, the school described him as “a bright, humble, and promising young soul whose presence touched the hearts of his teachers and classmates alike.”