Third body found near Vunato Bridge raises safety fears
Residents are calling for better lighting and CCTV after the discovery of Sailasa Delana’s body near Vunato Bridge.
Thursday 08 October 2026 | 07:00
The area where the body of Sailosi Delana was found last Sunday morning. Inset: Deceased Sailosi Delana whose body was found in a drain at Kadavu Street near the Vunato Bridge in Lautoka.
The discovery of a third body in the same area near Vunato Bridge in Lautoka has raised fresh concerns among families and residents, who are calling for urgent action to improve safety in the area.
The latest victim, 39-year-old Sailasa Delana, was found dead in a drain near Vunato Bridge last Sunday morning.
Mr Delana, a staff member of Rooster Poultry Lautoka and a father of three, had left his home at Naviago Settlement last Saturday morning to go to work. He did not return home.
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His body was discovered the following morning near the bridge, leaving his family devastated and raising questions about what happened to him in the hours before his death.
His wife, Savaira Vunisa, is calling on authorities to improve security in the area, including through the installation of streetlights and CCTV cameras.
Ms Vunisa said a taxi driver operating in Lautoka around midnight on Saturday allegedly saw her husband with two other men near the area where his body was later discovered.
She hopes to take the taxi driver to the police station so the information he witnessed can be reported to Police.
The family believes improved lighting and surveillance could help prevent incidents from going undetected and provide crucial evidence when incidents occur.
The latest death has renewed concerns among some Lautoka residents about safety in the area, particularly at night.
Residents say the stretch around the drain and Vunato Bridge is poorly lit and are calling for greater surveillance.
They are also questioning why stronger safety measures have not been put in place despite what they describe as previous fatalities in the area.
Residents say the latest incident is the third time a body has been found in the same vicinity around the drain and Vunato Bridge.
Some residents are calling for CCTV cameras to be installed in key areas around Lautoka, particularly along stretches where lighting is limited and incidents may be difficult to detect.
One resident questioned the lack of surveillance infrastructure and said authorities needed to seriously consider installing cameras in more parts of the city.
Residents have particularly highlighted the stretch from Kadavu Street towards Vunato Bridge, calling for better lighting and surveillance to improve public safety.
They say streetlights would improve visibility at night, while CCTV cameras could assist authorities in investigating incidents and identifying people or vehicles that may be in the area.
However, claims of criminal activity in the area have not been independently established, and the circumstances surrounding Mr Delana’s death remain unclear.
Police investigations will be crucial in determining what happened before his body was discovered.
Lautoka City Council acting chief executive officer Taitusi Rasoki was contacted for comment. Mr Rasoki said he would provide a response today after meeting with his team to discuss the concerns raised.
For Mr Delana’s family, however, the immediate priority is clear: they want the area made safer and better monitored so other families do not have to experience the same pain.
