The family of Romanch Mahajan has filed a $105 million notice of claim against New York City, alleging that a known electrical hazard spooked the horse that caused the teen’s fatal carriage accident.
Romanch Mahajan, 18, his parents, and his 11-year-old brother had arrived from India for a vacation just three days before the tragedy on June 17. The family was riding in a horse-drawn carriage through Central Park when the horse bolted, throwing Mahajan to the ground where he struck his head and died. His mother was also thrown from the carriage but survived, and relatives said the teen fell while trying to catch her.
The notice of claim, filed Friday, names Con Edison and several city agencies as defendants. It alleges that utility officials and city administrators knew about a “stray voltage” problem at the site before the incident yet failed to address it. The document maintains the horse got spooked by the electrical current and took off while the driver was snapping a photo of the family.
Con Edison spokesman Jamie McShane said that the utility had “observed very low levels of stray voltage on July 16 and July 23,” but determined that it was not coming from their equipment. The city Law Department declined to comment and said it was reviewing the document.
The filing intensifies a yearslong debate over the historic carriage rides, which have been part of the Manhattan landscape for well over a century. The City Council is currently weighing legislation that would phase out horse-drawn carriages by June 2028.
“These incidents demonstrate that it’s time to chart a better path forward that addresses animal welfare and public safety, and also ensures the livelihood and economic prosperity of the workers,” Council Speaker Julie Menin said following the incident.
Queens Democratic Councilman James Gennaro bemoaned the “unthinkable tragedy” but maintained it was due to “human error,” which had nothing to do with animal welfare. He said he opposed an outright ban on the industry and instead is proposing alternative legislation to tighten safety standards, including installing hitching posts in Central Park where horses can be secured when passengers get into or out of the carriages or want to take pictures, as well as more rigorous training for drivers.
In the viral moment that preceded this legal action, heart-pounding video footage captured the carriage driver chasing the horse and buggy in vain before it struck a curb and toppled over. Mahajan’s death was captured on camera as the runaway carriage careened through the park. The footage showed the driver’s desperate attempt to regain control before the crash that killed the teen and injured his mother.
The Transport Workers Union, which represents carriage drivers, had raised concerns about stray voltage in the aftermath of the crash. Photos provided by the union showed Con Edison crews on site investigating whether electricity in the ground could have startled the animal. The union’s early focus on the electrical issue presaged the family’s legal claim.
The family’s 40-day memorial for Mahajan included the announcement of their planned wrongful death lawsuit against the city. The $105 million claim represents one of the largest legal actions against the city over a carriage horse incident and comes as lawmakers consider the future of the industry entirely.
The City Council hearing on the proposed ban drew competing demonstrations from supporters and opponents of the carriage trade, though no vote has been scheduled on the measure.