Davor Dragicevic, the father of a young man whose controversial death sparked massive anti-government protests in Bosnia's Serb-dominated Republika Srpska (RS) entity, has applied for asylum in Austria, the Austrian Balkan Stories website wrote on Thursday.

In the interview, Davor Dragicevic spoke of the reasons he fears for his life and that this fear forced him to flee from Bosnia’s northern city of Banja Luka. Dragicevic also repeated several times that his son was allegedly murdered.

The lifeless body of 21-year-old David Dragicevic was found in a local river in March last year.

Police initially said the death was a result of drowning, but the family and all those involved in the ‘Justice for David’ group, who have been gathering in Banja Luka to protest frequently since March, say the police are trying to hide the perpetrators of the murder.

The young man’s family claims that it is impossible that David’s death was “accidental” as was said during the first press conference on this case.

After series of protests, Davor Dragicevic disappeared on December 30 last year after the police issued the arrest warrant for him and several other persons, for alleged violation of public order and peace during the protests they staged.

In his absence, David’s mother Suzana Radanovic led the ‘Justice for David’ group and initiated the exhumation of David’s body, who was reburied in Austria in March this year. The parents then claimed that David would find peace only when he is laid to rest in Austria, where people support their cause to find out the truth about the young man’s death.

Speaking to the Balkan Stories, Davor reiterated his earlier claims that RS Interior Ministry officials are the ones responsible for David’s alleged murder.