Authorities in the United States have confirmed the tragic cause of death for Indian travel influencer Anunay Sood, who died suddenly in Las Vegas last November at the age of 32.
Official Cause of Death Confirmed
The Clark County Office of the Coroner/Medical Examiner has informed The Daily Mail that Sood's death resulted from 'combined fentanyl and ethanol toxicity'. His manner of death has been officially ruled as accidental.
Sood, who was based in Dubai and had built a substantial social media following, passed away on 4 November while staying at the Wynn Las Vegas hotel. A report from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, obtained by People magazine, stated that fire department officials pronounced him dead at 7:23 a.m. that morning.
The Events Leading to Tragedy
According to the detailed police report, the incident began in the early hours of the morning. The document alleges that Sood, his fiancée Shivani Parihar, and another female friend purchased what they believed to be cocaine from a man on the casino floor of the Wynn at approximately 4 a.m..
The trio reportedly consumed the substance before going to sleep. About an hour later, the two women woke up and attempted to rouse Sood, only to discover he had no pulse.
Investigators found 'a small clear bag containing an unknown white substance' and a rolled $100 bill inside the hotel room. The report suggested the group would create lines from the powder and use the bill to snort it.
A Life and Career Cut Short
Anunay Sood had cultivated a significant online presence, amassing over 1.4 million followers on TikTok and nearly 400,000 subscribers on YouTube with his popular travel vlogs. His Instagram account, where he had 1.5 million fans, showed his final posts were from the Las Vegas Concours 2025 car show.
His family confirmed his passing in a social media statement last month, writing: 'It is with deep sadness that we share the news of our beloved Anunay Sood's passing.' They requested privacy and received an outpouring of over 70,000 condolence messages from devastated followers.
His fiancée, Shivani Parihar, shared heartfelt tributes on her Instagram Stories, expressing profound grief. On 4 December, exactly one month after his death, she posted a series of throwback photos with a lengthy caption, writing: 'I don't know how to move forward without you. One moment we were planning our forever, and now I'm here trying to understand how to live without you.'
The case highlights the ongoing and deadly danger of illicit drugs being contaminated with potent synthetic opioids like fentanyl, a crisis affecting communities worldwide.
