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New York leaders push to end horse carriage industry after Indian teen's death
AP News • • nation
Key Points:
- Romanch Mahajan, an 18-year-old Indian teenager visiting New York to celebrate his high school graduation, died after a Central Park carriage horse bolted, causing him to fall and hit his head while trying to save his mother.
- The carriage driver was suspended indefinitely, and the horse involved will be retired; the Transport Workers Union has paused operations to review safety protocols following the incident.
- This is the first human fatality involving a horse carriage in Central Park in over 150 years, with eight horse-related incidents reported in the park over the past 13 months.
- The Central Park Conservancy and New York City leaders are calling for the suspension and eventual ban of horse-drawn carriages, citing public safety risks and supporting legislation to phase out the industry.
- The Transport Workers Union, previously opposed to ending the carriage business, has recently backed new safety legislation, including establishing hitching posts for horses in the park.
