New York, August 17, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The family of Indian teenager Romanch Mahajan, who died after being thrown from a horse-drawn carriage in New York in June 2025, has initiated legal proceedings seeking $105 million in compensation from the New York City government.
The family filed a notice of claim against the city and four municipal departments last week, alleging that stray electrical voltage in Central Park spooked the horse and contributed to the fatal accident.
Mahajan, 18, from Pathankot, Punjab, had travelled to New York with his family to celebrate his high school graduation. On June 17, 2025, the family was taking a horse-carriage ride in Central Park when the driver reportedly stepped away from the carriage to take a photograph.
The horse suddenly bolted, throwing Mahajan’s mother, Priya, from the carriage. Mahajan reportedly jumped after her in an attempt to save her but struck his head on the ground and suffered a fatal injury.
In their legal notice, the family alleged that stray voltage, along with other factors, “caused, precipitated, contributed to and/or was a substantial factor” in the horse bolting. The allegations have not been established in court.
The claim echoes an earlier allegation by the Transport Workers Union, which represented carriage driver Ertan Gokdepe. Alexander Kemp, vice-president of the union’s local unit, had argued that carriage drivers should not be held responsible for an unforeseeable hazard allegedly linked to flaws in the city’s power grid.
Mahajan had recently completed Class 12 at Angel’s Public School in Pathankot and was preparing to begin college when the tragedy occurred.
His death subsequently intensified calls for a ban on horse-drawn carriages in New York City. A proposed ban has been named the Romanch Mahajan Bill in his memory, and the City Council is expected to vote on the legislation.
Mahajan’s father, Deepak Mahajan, last month appealed to the Council through a video link to prohibit horse-drawn carriages.
He said his son had come to the US “full of dreams” but died far too soon, arguing that the incident was preventable and reflected a failure of the city’s safety system.
The legal proceedings and the proposed legislation have brought renewed attention to safety concerns surrounding horse-drawn carriage rides, a longstanding tourist attraction in New York.
FOLLOW NOW
