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Bill banning horse carriages in New York renamed after Indian teen who died in accident
New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani called the death a horrific incident. He said he will work with City Council, union partners, carriage drivers, animal welfare advocates and community leaders
- PUBLISHED: Tue 23 Jun 2026, 2:48 PM
A bill seeking to ban horse-drawn carriages in New York City has been renamed after an Indian teenager who died last week after falling from a buggy in Central Park while trying to save his mother, who had fallen while the driver was taking a family portrait.
Romanch Mahajan, 18, was on his family’s first trip to the US from India, when the disaster happened.
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New York City Council member Christopher Marte, who organised a vigil at Central Park on Monday to pay tributes to Mahajan, said a bill introduced by him (called Ryder’s Law), seeking a ban on horse-drawn carriages in New York City, would be changed to ‘Romanch’s Law’, in honour of the Indian teenager. Ryder died in October 2022 after the horse carrying him collapsed while being forced to pull the carriage.
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"What happened last week is a stain on our city,” Marte said at the vigil. “Why aren't we taking action immediately?" He also read a letter from Mahajan’s family relating to the death of Romanch. "The industry responsible for my nephew's death is preparing to resume passenger tours, treating the loss of Romanch's life as a temporary inconvenience,” it said.
“This is a profound insult to our family and a direct threat to the safety of every tourist and resident in New York City. We demand that you use the full power of your office to halt the resumption of these rides immediately. Allowing horse carriages back on the streets while our family is planning a funeral proves that the city values tourism over human life.”
Romanch’s father, Deepak, told the New York Times: "My son fell off as he tried to save his mother. He was screaming, 'Mom!'"
The Indian Consulate in New York said it was deeply saddened by Mahajan’s untimely demise. "Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with his family during this difficult time. The Consulate is in touch with the family and is extending all possible assistance and support," it said.
New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani called the death “a horrific incident.” He said he was looking forward “to working with City Council, union partners, carriage drivers, animal welfare advocates and community leaders to deliver a just transition that protects workers while ending horse-drawn carriages in Central Park once and for all.”
New York’s Central Park Conservancy, which looks after the park, said this was the tragedy it feared, “when we first called last year for horse carriages to be banned from Central Park due to the risks they pose to public safety and public health. A young man came to enjoy our park and lost his life. That is not an acceptable cost of an antiquated industry operating in the middle of one of the most heavily used public spaces in America," it added.
Ryder’s Law had earlier failed to pass a City Council Health Committee vote. Its supporters are reintroducing it for a full City Council vote. The Conservancy has reported seven horse-related accidents so far this year.
