The family of Romanch Mahajan, an 18-year-old tourist from India, intends to sue New York City for $105 million, alleging that a stray electrical current caused the horse pulling their carriage to bolt, resulting in the teen's death. The family's notice of claim, filed on Friday, states that both the city and Con Edison were aware of a "stray voltage" problem at the site prior to the June 17 incident but failed to address it. Mahajan was thrown from the carriage, struck his head, and died, while his mother, also ejected, survived.
Mahajan and his family were on a vacation to New York, having arrived just three days before the accident. The incident was captured on video, showing the carriage driver attempting to chase the runaway horse and buggy before it overturned after striking a curb.
Con Edison spokesperson Jamie McShane told The New York Times that the utility had detected "very low levels of stray voltage" on July 16 and July 23 but concluded it was not originating from their equipment. The city's Law Department stated it was reviewing the claim and declined to comment.
The tragedy has intensified the ongoing debate surrounding horse-drawn carriage rides in Central Park. City Council Speaker Julie Menin stated that the incident highlights the need to address animal welfare and public safety while ensuring the livelihoods of carriage workers. However, Councilman James Gennaro suggested the mishap was due to "human error" and not animal welfare concerns. He opposes an outright ban and is proposing legislation to enhance safety standards, including installing hitching posts and implementing more rigorous driver training.