An 18-year-old tourist from India died after a tragic horse-drawn carriage accident in New York Cityโs Central Park.
The victim, identified as Romanch Mahajan, was visiting New York with his family when they decided to take a carriage ride through the park. The trip was meant to celebrate his recent high school graduation.
According to reports, the carriage driver stepped away from the carriage to take a photo of the family when the horse suddenly became spooked and bolted.
During the chaos, Mahajanโs mother reportedly fell from the carriage. Mahajan then jumped out in an attempt to help her, but he suffered a fatal head injury after hitting the ground.
The carriage later clipped another horse-drawn vehicle and overturned. Mahajan was rushed to NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, where he later died from his injuries.
His father and other family members reportedly survived with minor injuries.
The horse involved in the crash was identified as Sampson. The carriage driver has been suspended indefinitely, and the horse is expected to be retired from carriage work.
The tragedy has renewed fierce debate over horse-drawn carriage rides in Central Park. Animal welfare advocates, the Central Park Conservancy and several city leaders are calling for the industry to be banned, arguing that the rides are no longer safe in one of the busiest public spaces in the country.
Supporters of the carriage industry argue that the accident was rare and that stronger safety rules, better training and proper hitching areas would be a better solution than a full ban.
The case has become especially heartbreaking because Mahajan reportedly died while trying to protect his mother. His death has turned a family vacation into a tragedy and intensified calls for major changes to carriage safety in New York City.
Investigators are still reviewing exactly what happened and whether safety rules were followed before the horse bolted.
