Deepak Mahajan, the father of an Indian teenager who tragically died in a horse carriage accident in New York while trying to save his mother, emotionally urged the New York City Council to prohibit horse-drawn vehicles. Speaking before the City Council, Mahajan pleaded for immediate action as they considered a proposed law named after his son, Romanch, who lost his life in Central Park last month.
Expressing deep sorrow, Mahajan highlighted that had a similar law been in place last year, the fatal incident could have been prevented, emphasizing that the safety lapse was avoidable. Romanch, visiting New York with his family, heroically intervened when the horse carriage driver stopped to take a photo, leading to a tragic chain of events that resulted in his untimely death.
The grieving father stressed that the accident was not unforeseeable but rather a failure in safety protocols, underscoring the need for better protection of residents and tourists. Romanch’s courageous act to shield his mother was commended by Council Speaker Julie Menin, who advocated for the law in his honor during a hearing by the Council’s Committee on Health.
Supporters of the proposed law, including Romanch’s aunt Sovia Thukral, echoed the family’s call for justice and remembrance, emphasizing the need for societal change to prevent similar tragedies. The tragic loss of Romanch has reignited efforts to ban horse carriages in New York, with increased momentum following the incident, despite longstanding opposition from the drivers’ union.
