Teenage tourist killed in Central Park horse-carriage accident reignites calls for ban

The accident

On Wednesday afternoon, an 18-year-old Indian tourist died after being thrown from a horse-drawn carriage that bolted through Central Park. Romanch Mahajan was with his parents and younger brother when the driver stepped off to take a photograph; the horse, named Sampson, then ran out of control. Video footage shows the carriage tipping after it clipped another horse-drawn vehicle. Mahajan was rushed to Weill Cornell Medical Center but died from head injuries. His father, Deepak Mahajan, said his son jumped out of the carriage after the mother fell.

He was screaming, 'Mom!'

The victim

Romanch Mahajan had just graduated high school and learned he had been accepted to a university in Jaipur on the day the family arrived in New York. The trip was a celebration of that achievement, his father said. The family had spent the day visiting several of the city's well-known tourist spots and was unwinding with a carriage ride when the accident occurred.

Driver error and industry response

The Transport Workers Union Local 100 confirmed that the driver violated protocol by leaving the carriage to photograph passengers. Alexander Kemp, an administrative vice president with the union, said the driver had been suspended indefinitely and the horse would be retired from service. The union also suspended all carriage operations on Thursday to review safety protocols.

We're absolutely gutted and stunned by this tragedy. We have shuttered the stables and ceased operations today while we have extensive internal discussions of safety protocols and how they can be improved.

Kemp added that a driver should never leave the carriage to take photos and that the union supports a full investigation. He also stressed that safety in the park is a growing concern involving all vehicles, including e-bikes, delivery vehicles, pedicabs and carriages.

Renewed demands for a ban

The accident immediately revived calls to ban horse-drawn carriages from the park. The Central Park Conservancy, the nonprofit that manages the 850-acre park, said the incident "underlines the dangers" posed by the attraction and expressed hope that the injuries would be the last. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani stated his support for removing the carriages. Activists have long argued the 150-year-old tradition endangers both horses and people, and this week's events have intensified that pressure.

Preceding horse death

The tragedy comes just over a week after another carriage horse, Deniz, died in Central Park. Preliminary autopsy results indicated toxic plant ingestion. That incident had already deepened scrutiny of the industry. The union noted that the horse involved in Wednesday's accident had been in the park for only six weeks.