The grieving father of a teenager who died after a New York City horse carriage accident asked officials to confront the horror his family endured, telling them: “I want you to imagine what it is like watching your son die in front of you.”
Deepak Mahajan, whose 18-year-old son Romanch Mahajan was visiting New York as a tourist, addressed a City Council hearing on Wednesday alongside other relatives and advocates. They urged lawmakers to approve legislation that would end Manhattan’s horse carriage trade, an industry that has operated in the city for 67 years.
Mahajan recounted the panic inside the carriage in the seconds before his son suffered a fatal head injury, saying the horse was startled and suddenly tore through Central Park.
“I cannot properly describe to you the real true fear inside that carriage,” Mahajan said during emotional testimony delivered over Zoom, seated beside his visibly devastated wife, Priya Mahajan.
He said the carriage began rocking violently as it picked up speed, with no one controlling the reins. “We could do nothing but hold onto each other and scream,” he told council members.
Romanch, according to his father, leapt from the runaway carriage in an attempt to help his mother after she had fallen out during the ride.
“Our whole family is shattered,” Mahajan said. “We came to New York as a family of four. We are learning to cope with life as a family of three.”
Before Wednesday’s closely watched City Council hearing, Mahajan also said, “No one expects for this to happen to their child, but it happened to us,” according to the New York Post.
Romanch Mahajan died on June 16 in New York City after he flew out of a horse-drawn carriage in Central Park
Photos show the moments before the deadly incident
His family are demanding that the 150-year-old horse-drawn carriage industry be shut down (Pictured are Mahajan’s mother and father)
‘I would not wish this on any family in the world.’
The victim’s aunt also spoke, struggling as she cried in front of the council. She asked that her nephew’s name not be forgotten and described the darkness that has been left over their family since the teen’s death.
Romanch died during a ride on June 16 after their carriage driver had stopped to take a photo of the family, who were visiting from India, when the horse suddenly bolted with them inside. He hit his head on the ground and was later pronounced dead.
‘If the prior legislation had passed, the carriages would have stopped on June 1, 2026 – Romanch died on June 17,’ Mahajan said.
‘This was not an unpredictable accident. Let his death not be in vain.’
Heartbroken family members are now hoping Romanch’s Law will pass to prevent others from suffering a similar tragedy.
Their push for legislation ultimately brought them to the City Council hearing focused on ending horse carriage rides within two years, particularly in Central Park, where they have operated since its opening.
Council Member Christopher Marte will introduce the bill as its lead sponsor, which, if passed, would phase out the rides by June 1, 2028, according to records cited by NBC4.
Romanch was visiting from India. Photos show the moment the family’s horse got spooked and suddenly bolted with them inside
The parents, aunts, and uncles of 18-year-old tourist Romanch Mahajan gave emotional statements at a City Council hearing on Wednesday, in New York City. Romanch’s aunt is pictured in tears trying to give a statement
Romanch jumped out of the carriage to save his mother, who had fallen out
The victim’s father said: ‘I cannot properly describe to you the real true fear inside that carriage’
The bill’s future now rests with the Health Committee, which will decide whether to advance it to the full Council, according to The New York Times.
After gaining five more sponsors between Tuesday and Wednesday, the measure reached 26 supporters – enough to secure passage in the 51-member Council.
Romanch’s death is the first fatality linked to the carriage rides since they were introduced more than a century ago, according to the labor union that represents the industry and the Central Park Conservancy.
The incident reignited the debate over the park’s horse-drawn carriage industry, with opponents arguing that the rides are both inhumane to horses and dangerous to city residents.
Dozens gathered from both sides with signs protesting or supporting the proposal. Carriage industry leaders said that the incident emphasizes the need for better protections, such as hitching posts.
Christina Hansen, a spokesperson for TWU Local 100, previously said at a press conference that they have taken steps to make sure that the carriages remain ‘the safest form of transportation in Midtown, Manhattan.’
If the bill passes, it would move to Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has backed a ban and said he wants to ‘deliver a just transition that protects workers.’
He said that while he supported the intent of the proposal, he had concerns about its impact on workers in the industry, according to NBC4 News.
Romanch hit his head on the ground and was later pronounced dead
Gaurav Mahajan, Romanch’s grieving uncle, previously criticized Mamdani in remarks about the incident.
‘I just want to ask one thing to Mayor Mamdani and to the Speaker: What does it take? What’s the cost? What’s the price to make sure this never happens again?’ he said.
‘We’ve already paid the price with the loss of our child. He’s gone. We’re never going to be able to bring him back. What happens now? Do we just move on and call it a day?’
City officials reopened the rides just one week after the incident. During the shutdown, carriage drivers attended meetings and discussions with union representatives, according to a Transport Workers Union statement.
Romanch’s death was followed by several other horse-related incidents in Central Park, including the fatal collapse of a carriage horse that died after ingesting a toxic plant.
The horse had eaten foliage from a Japanese yew, according to a report from Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine that was circulated by TWU Local 100.
The horse, named Deniz, was under the care of carriage driver Nurettin Kirbiyik on the park’s East Drive on June 9 when it suddenly collapsed and died.
