The family had arrived in New York from India that Monday. Romanch had just received his university acceptance in Jaipur. His father, Deepak Mahajan, told The New York Times the trip was a celebration. They had already seen the Statue of Liberty and the Brooklyn Bridge.
On Wednesday afternoon, 18 June 2026, they boarded a horse-drawn carriage for a ride through Central Park. The driver stepped off to take a photograph of the family. The horse bolted.
When Priya Mahajan, Romanch’s mother, fell from the moving carriage, her son jumped after her. “He was screaming, ‘Mom!'” Deepak Mahajan told the Times. Romanch hit the ground and struck his head. The horse carriage clipped another horse-drawn vehicle and toppled over, shattering into pieces. His father, mother and younger brother survived with minor injuries.
Romanch died that night at New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Centre. He was 18 years old. He is believed to be the first person to die in a horse carriage accident in Central Park since the industry began there more than 150 years ago.
Four days later, at a vigil held at Cherry Hill inside Central Park, New York City Council member Christopher Marte renamed a bill he had introduced to ban horse-drawn carriages in New York City. It had been called Ryder’s Law. It is now Romanch’s Law.
How a name becomes a law
Ryder’s Law was first introduced in the City Council in 2022 by former Councilman Bob Holden. It was reintroduced by Marte and had been progressing slowly, backed by animal rights groups but stalled by the industry’s political resistance and the union representing carriage drivers.
Romanch’s death changed the political calculation overnight.
At the vigil on 22 June, Marte read a letter from the Mahajan family addressed to Mayor Zohran Mamdani. The letter was unambiguous. “The industry responsible for my nephew’s death is preparing to resume passenger tours this Tuesday, treating the loss of Romanch’s life as a temporary inconvenience,” it read, as reported by ABC7 New York. “This is a profound insult to our family and a direct threat to the safety of every tourist and resident in New York City.”
The carriages did resume on Tuesday 23 June. The family and advocates were furious.
Mayor Mamdani, who had previously stated support for ending horse carriages within Central Park, reiterated his position. His office said: “The Mayor has been clear about his position: it is time to end the horse carriage industry in our parks. We look 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.”
City Council Speaker Julie Menin scheduled a formal hearing on Romanch’s Law for 15 July 2026.
What Romanch’s Law would do
What is Romanch’s Law? Romanch’s Law is the renamed version of a New York City Council bill previously known as Ryder’s Law, introduced by Councilman Christopher Marte (D-Manhattan). The legislation proposes to ban horse-drawn carriages in New York City by prohibiting new licences and ending all operations from 1 June 2028. It includes provisions for a two-year transition period to help carriage drivers move into alternative employment. The bill is currently awaiting a hearing, scheduled for 15 July 2026, before the City Council.
The bill would phase out the industry entirely by June 2028. No new licences would be issued. Existing operations would wind down. The legislation includes a worker transition pathway, with carriage drivers given two years and support to find alternative employment.
Marte has been direct about what the bill’s passage would mean. “Romanch’s Law would end horse-drawn carriages in New York City while creating a pathway for workers to transition into safer, stable jobs,” his office said in a statement.
PETA has urged all City Council members to pass the bill urgently, and called on Mayor Mamdani to suspend horse carriage operations immediately until legislation is enacted. “The majority of New Yorkers want this bloodshed to end and fully support a carriage-horse ban, which would have prevented the tragic deaths of Deniz, dozens of other horses, and teenage tourist Romanch Mahajan,” said PETA Director Ashley Byrne.
The Central Park Conservancy, which manages the 843-acre park, has also backed the bill. “The record is undeniable: crashes, runaways, horse deaths, injuries, and now a devastating loss of human life,” said Edita Birnkrant, executive director of New Yorkers for Clean, Livable, and Safe Streets. “There is no way to prevent the next horse from spooking and harming or killing someone.”
The other side of the argument
The Transport Workers Union, which represents carriage drivers, responded to Romanch’s death by suspending tours from Thursday to Monday after the incident, saying it used the pause to conduct refresher training and develop new safety protocols.
Christina Hansen of TWU Local 100 said the union’s focus was on ensuring drivers kept control of their horses at all times: “Emphasising most notably, the importance of there never being passengers in the carriage unless there’s a driver on the box with the lines in their hand.”
One veteran driver, speaking to NBC New York, said 90% of horse-related accidents could be prevented with hitching posts throughout the park, allowing drivers to safely secure horses when they need to step away. He acknowledged the industry’s flaws but argued that the answer was better regulation, not a ban.
“We are sad about what happened. Nobody wants that,” he said. “But it’s not like this is happening every day. Car crashes and plane crashes are happening every single day. One horse makes an accident, and the world is destroyed? Come on.”
The Central Park Conservancy’s own data counters that framing. Romanch’s death was the eighth horse-related incident in the park over the past 13 months.
What it means for Indian tourists and the diaspora
Romanch Mahajan had done nothing wrong. He was a tourist on a family holiday, doing exactly what millions of visitors to New York City do every year: taking a horse carriage ride in Central Park. The driver had left the carriage unattended. The horse bolted. His son died trying to protect his mother.
The Consulate General of India in New York confirmed it was in contact with the Mahajan family and assisting. “We are deeply saddened by the untimely demise of Mr Romanch Mahajan, an Indian national,” the Consulate posted on 18 June.
Central Park receives an estimated 42 million visitors a year. A significant proportion are international tourists, including a large number of Indian families. The horse carriage rides, priced from USD 75 per ride, are among the most visited tourist experiences in the park. For many Indian visitors, they are a first-choice experience.
Deepak Mahajan’s final words to the Times carry the weight of what this family has lost: “It took my son’s dream away.”
The hearing on Romanch’s Law is scheduled for 15 July 2026. The Mahajan family has said they will not rest until horse carriages are banned from the city’s streets entirely.
What happened, and what comes next
Are horse carriage rides in Central Park currently operating? Yes. Horse carriage rides resumed in Central Park on 23 June 2026, following a brief suspension after Romanch Mahajan’s death. They continue to operate as of the date of publication. A City Council hearing on Romanch’s Law, which proposes a full ban, is scheduled for 15 July 2026.
Was this the first death in a Central Park horse carriage accident? Yes. According to both the Transport Workers Union and the Central Park Conservancy, Romanch Mahajan is the first person to die in a horse carriage accident in Central Park since the rides were introduced more than 150 years ago. His death was the eighth horse-related incident in the park over the preceding 13 months.
What is the current status of Romanch’s Law? Romanch’s Law, formerly known as Ryder’s Law, has been introduced by Councilman Christopher Marte and has the backing of Mayor Zohran Mamdani and City Council Speaker Julie Menin. A formal hearing is scheduled for 15 July 2026. The bill has not yet been voted on. If passed, it would ban horse-drawn carriages in New York City from 1 June 2028.
Should Indian tourists avoid horse carriage rides in New York until the law is passed? This article does not give travel advice. The decision is a personal one. Central Park horse carriage rides are a legal, regulated tourist activity. The Mahajan family, advocacy groups, the Central Park Conservancy and the New York City Mayor have all called for the industry to be suspended pending legislation. The Transport Workers Union maintains that enhanced safety protocols make current operations safe.
Has the Indian government responded? The Consulate General of India in New York confirmed it was in contact with the Mahajan family and assisting. The Consulate’s official social media account posted condolences on 18 June 2026. No formal statement from the Ministry of External Affairs was available at the time of publication.
