Chandigarh, Mar 17 (IANS): A son has been born to the parents of Sidhu Moose Wala, the slain rapper's father announced on Sunday.

Taking to Instagram and writing in Punjabi, Sardar Balkaur Sidhu said: "Thanks to the good wishes of the lakhs and crores of Shubhdeep's followers and fans, Akal Purakh has sent Shubh's little brother to our laps.

"My wife's health is fine, thanks to the blessings of the Almighty, and we both are beholden to our well-wishers for showering us with their support."

Moose Wala's real name was Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, which explains the reference to Shubhdeep in the announcement.

Sunday's announcement by Balkaur Singh is accompanied by a picture of the proud father with the newborn.

Balkaur Singh, incidentally, broke his silence on his wife Charan Kaur's pregnancy -- she's 58 and got pregnant via the IVF route -- on Facebook just a few days ago. He appealed to the well-wishers of the family to not believe the rumours circulating about the pregnancy.

He pleaded: "... there are so many rumours going around about our family, but they are not to be believed. Whatever news is there, the family will share with you all."

The rapper was shot dead by six assailants on May 29, 2022, a day after his security cover was pared down, at Jawahar Ke village in Punjab's Mansa district.

The Punjab Police have blamed Canada-based gangster Goldy Brar and his boss, Lawrence Bishnoi, who's now lodged in Delhi's Tihar Jail, for the killing of Moose Wala.

Brar, a member of the Bishnoi gang, has been named in the 1,850-page police chargesheet filed in a Mansa court. It said Moose Wala's killing was carried out in retaliation for a youth Akali leader's murder.

The others who have been named in the chargesheet include the jailed gangsters Bishnoi and Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, Manmohan Mohana, Deepak Tinu, Sandeep Kekda, Ankit Sirsa, Priyavrat Fauji, Sachin Bhiwani, Keshav, Kashish, Manpreet Manu and Jagroop Roopa.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by the Anti-Gangster Task Force chief, Pramod Ban, is probing the killing of Moose Wala. Ban has said Bishnoi, the main conspirator, confessed to planning the execution in August 2021 to avenge the murder of the Akali Dal leader.

Incidentally, Moose Wala's fiancee Amandeep Kaur is the daughter of a prominent leader of the Akali Dal. After Moose Wala's death, she swore to never marry and reportedly moved in with the slain rapper's parents in their native village.