Romanch's Law: NYC bill renamed after Indian teen killed in carriage mishap

Newyork,UPDATED: Jun 23, 2026 08:34 IST

A bill seeking to ban horse-drawn carriages in New York City has been renamed after Romanch Mahajan, an 18-year-old Indian who died after a carriage incident in Central Park last week. The move was announced at a vigil held on Monday, where tributes were paid to Mahajan.

New York City Council member Christopher Marte, who organised the vigil, said the bill introduced by him, earlier called Ryder's Law, will now be known as Romanch's Law. The bill seeks to wind down the horse-drawn cab industry by stopping the issue of new licences for such cabs, with operations to be prohibited from June 1, 2028, according to the Animal Legal Defence Fund.

Mahajan died after he fell from a horse-drawn carriage in Central Park. He had jumped off the carriage to help his mother after she fell out when the horse bolted. Describing the moments of the incident, Romanch's father Deepak Mahajan told The New York Times, "We were yelling, 'Help me, help me!'" He said, "My son fell off as he tried to save his mother," adding, "He was screaming, 'Mom!'" Tatianna Bresler, who works at the Tavern on the Green, told The New York Post, "The horse got scared and ran superfast." She said she called 911 after seeing the crash and hearing screams, and that a witness managed to slow the runaway horse before the carriage flipped.

Romanch later died on Wednesday night at the NewYork-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Centre, The New York Times reported. The rest of the family — his father, mother and younger brother — suffered minor injuries. The report said their carriage clipped another carriage and toppled over, shattering into pieces.

At the vigil, Marte said, "What happened last week is a stain on our city. Why aren't we taking action immediately?" He also read out a letter from the Mahajan family calling for an immediate ban on horse-drawn carriages. According to an excerpt published by ABC7NY, the letter said: "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. 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."

Ryder's Law was originally named after Ryder, a 26-year-old carriage horse that collapsed in August 2022 while pulling a carriage. Ryder died in October that year, and several animal rights and advocacy groups, including The Animal Legal Defence Fund, have since called for a law to ban and replace horse-drawn carriages in New York City. The fund said, "Every summer, horses are used to pull carriages on hot pavements. They are subjected to breathing in heavy exhaust from the congested downtown traffic. In winter, they endure freezing temperatures while standing unprotected from the elements, waiting for fares. Day in and day out – rain, sleet, or shine – these horses are worked, often to the point of exhaustion." It added that under the current law, drivers can work their horses nine hours a day, seven days a week. The fund also said, "Public safety is at risk when horses are forced to work in traffic. Blinders, which prevent the horses from having a full range of vision, cannot protect them from the blaring horns, crowds of people, and constant noise of busy New York streets. When startled, the horses instinctively bolt. The frightened horses have run into heavy traffic and crashed into vehicles and people, causing serious injury to both the horses and innocent bystanders."

The Consulate General of India in New York had earlier expressed condolences over Mahajan's death. In a post on X, it said, "we are deeply saddened" by his "untimely demise". The Consulate said, "Mahajan, an Indian national, tragically lost his life following a fall from a horse-drawn carriage in Central Park, New York. 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."

After Mahajan's death, a spokesperson for the Central Park Conservancy said it was "absolutely devastated" to learn of the young man's death. The Conservancy said, "this is the tragedy we 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" and added, "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 renewed its call to pass Ryder's Law, which would ban horse carriages and provide transitional job placement services for drivers, and said, "Every day horse carriages are in the park is a day the safety of New Yorkers and visitors is in jeopardy." The Conservancy also said there have been eight horse-related incidents in Central Park over the past 13 months. The bill's renaming, the family's demand for action and the fresh calls by advocacy groups have put renewed focus on the future of horse-drawn carriages in the city after Mahajan's death.

With PTI Inputs

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