On July 3, 2020, Radio Virsa host Harnek Neki was celebrating his 53rd birthday at Love Punjab Restaurant in Auckland when a former kabaddi player Manjit Singh Atwal also known as “Balla” initiated an argument with Harnek Neki. Balla, originally from village Khurdpur District Jalandhar, was at the restaurant also celebrating the birthday of his daughter-in-law. The situation further escalated and Harnek Neki was followed to the restaurant’s washroom by Balla and was allegedly attacked by him inside the washroom. Harnek Neki was eventually able to escape.
Harnek Neki acknowledged the incident the following day on the show “Bhakdey Masle”. He refrained from describing the details of the incident but did claim that Balla belongs to the same group of people that removed a saroop of Guru Granth Sahib from Neki-ran Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha in the past. According to Neki, he did call the Police but they did not arrive on the scene due to the influence the opposing group has on the local Police force.