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Bosnians light candles for dead student, challenge police

Dozens of Bosnians have defied a ban and lit candles to honor a 21-year-old student whose unresolved death has inspired months of protests alleging a police cover-up

People carry candles in memory of 21-year-old David Dragicevic in Banja Luka, 240 kms northwest of Sarajevo, Bosnia, on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019. Braving a police ban, dozens of Bosnians have lit candles to honor a 21-year-old student whose unresolved death has inspired months of protests alleging police cover-up in the case. The citizens of the Bosnian Serb city of Banja Luka gathered Thursday outside an Orthodox Christian church as police stood by. (AP Photo/Radivoje Pavicic)
People carry candles in memory of 21-year-old David Dragicevic in Banja Luka, 240 kms northwest of Sarajevo, Bosnia, on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019. Braving a police ban, dozens of Bosnians have lit candles to honor a 21-year-old student whose unresolved death has inspired months of protests alleging police cover-up in the case. The citizens of the Bosnian Serb city of Banja Luka gathered Thursday outside an Orthodox Christian church as police stood by. (AP Photo/Radivoje Pavicic)Read moreRadivoje Pavicic / AP
    by The Associated Press, AP_pmn_1
    Published 

BANJA LUKA, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) — Dozens of Bosnians have defied a ban and lit candles to honor a 21-year-old student whose unresolved death has inspired months of protests alleging a police cover-up.

The gathering outside an Orthodox Christian church in the Bosnian Serb city of Banja Luka took place Thursday as police officers stood by and observed the crowd.

Police have said they are searching for the late student's father, Davor Dragicevic. He has inspired months of anti-government protests by demanding answers about his son David's death in March.

Police have banned the events from being held without special authorization. Dragicevic hasn't been seen since thousands of his supporters rallied on Sunday.

Police initially said David Dragicevic died by suicide, but the family insisted someone else killed him.