The family of an 18-year-old Indian teenager who died after jumping from a runaway horse-drawn carriage in New York’s Central Park is suing the city for $105 million, alleging a stray electrical current may have spooked the horse.
Romanch Mahajan died in June after jumping from the carriage while trying to save his mother, Priya, who had been thrown from the vehicle as the horse suddenly bolted.
As per Daily Mail, the family has filed a legal claim against New York City, several municipal agencies and Con Edison, alleging that stray electrical voltage “caused, precipitated, contributed to and/or was a substantial factor in” the horse’s sudden agitation.
The claim names the city’s Departments of Parks and Recreation, Health and Mental Hygiene, Transportation, and Consumer and Worker Protection.
The family had been visiting New York from India when the tragedy occurred at Cherry Hill on June 17. The carriage driver had reportedly stopped to take a photograph when the horse, Sampson, suddenly bolted.
Romanch’s father, Deepak Mahajan, previously recalled how his family desperately tried to hold on as the carriage raced through the park.
His wife was thrown from the carriage, prompting Romanch to jump out after her.
“My son, just to save his mother, he fell off. He was screaming, ‘Mom!’,” Deepak said.
Romanch suffered fatal blunt-force trauma and later died at New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center. Other family members suffered minor injuries.
Con Edison spokesperson Jamie McShane told Daily Mail that the utility observed “very low levels of stray voltage” on July 16 and July 23 but determined neither incident originated from Con Edison equipment.
The allegation has intensified debate over New York’s controversial horse-drawn carriage industry, with the Mahajan family supporting a proposed ban following their son’s death.
The Transport Workers Union, however, has argued that the industry should not be blamed before a full investigation is completed.
The union said the discovery of stray voltage raised questions about whether the horse may have been shocked and whether electrical infrastructure contributed to the incident.
Animal rights group PETA has separately called for the carriage industry to be removed from Central Park, arguing that the incident highlights the dangers posed to both horses and passengers.
The proposed ban has gained sufficient support among New York City Council members to pass but remains subject to an environmental review examining its potential economic impact.
The legal claim will now put the alleged electrical fault, the safety of the carriage operation and the city’s responsibility under further scrutiny.
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