Indian teen, in desperate bid to save mother, dies after falling from horse carriage in New York
The incident has also reignited calls from animal welfare advocates and critics of the industry to ban horse-drawn carriages in the park.
PTC News Desk: In a tragic incident, an Indian teenager died while trying to save his mother who was thrown from a horse-drawn carriage after the horse suddenly bolted at the famous Central Park in New York City.
The deceased has been identified as Romanch Mahajan, 18.
The accident is the latest in a series of mishaps involving carriage horses.
Eighteen-year-old Romanch Mahajan was visiting New York for the first time with his family when a horse-carriage ride turned into a frightening ordeal on Wednesday, according to a media report.
The incident occurred when the carriage driver stopped to take a photograph of the family. Within moments, the horse suddenly bolted, charging onto the sidewalk and across a grassy area at high speed while the driver ran after it in an attempt to regain control.
“We were screaming, ‘Help us, help us!’” Romanch’s father, Deepak Mahajan, recalled.
As the carriage sped out of control, family members desperately held onto one another. However, when Deepak’s wife, Priya, was thrown from the carriage, Romanch immediately jumped out to help her, his father said.
The accident has drawn criticism from the union representing carriage drivers. Alexander Kemp, vice president of the Transport Workers Union Local 100, said preliminary information suggested the driver had moved away from the horse.
“It appears the driver was at least an arm’s length away from the horse,” Kemp said in a statement. “This should never have happened. Drivers are not permitted to leave their carriage to take photographs under any circumstances. We support a thorough investigation into the incident.”
Kemp added that the driver, whose identity has not yet been disclosed, has been suspended indefinitely by the carriage owner pending the outcome of the investigation.
The incident has also reignited calls from animal welfare advocates and critics of the industry to ban horse-drawn carriages in the park. Manhattan currently has more than 100 carriage horses in operation.