An Indian-origin restaurant owner in North Carolina has been charged with attempted murder of his wife following a domestic violence incident after his daughter called 911 when 49-year-old Mathivanan Pothiappan started chasing his wife down the street. The incident took place earlier this month and Pothiappan was charged with misdemeanor charges of assault, intimidation and domestic violence against a woman on April 4. Four days later, another case was filed charging Pothiappan with attempted first-degree murder.Pothiappan is the owner of the Cholanad Indian restaurant on West Franklin Street, which is now closed after his arrest, local reports claimed, Pothiappan told CBS17 the restaurant will reopen soon. He did not comment on the allegations against him.The wife told the police that Pothiappan had always been verbally and physically abusive. She said that on several previous occasions he had hit her with a dumbbell and burned her. On April 4, when they were arguing in the morning, Pothiappan threw some objects at her and threw around a bag full of medicines. Then he went to the kitchen and said: “Today, I will take this knife and kill you.”Meanwhile, Pothiappan’s wife ran out of the house and Pothiappan started chasing her in his car. That’s when Pothiappan’s daughter called 911.Pothiappan was given $5,000 for the initial charges and released on 6 April. After attempted murder charges were filed, he was rearrested and given a $100,000 bond.His pre-trial release conditions include having no contact with the family involved in the incident and surrendering his passport.Cholanad is a famous South Indian cuisine restaurant in North Carolina. Its website states, “The name Cholanad is derived from the Great Chola Empire of the Tamils. The Cholas were one of the major maritime and colonial empires of the classical world from 320 BC to 1279 AD. The Cholas introduced their culture and certainly their cuisine to the countries they traded with and ruled. For example, Thai food and their culture is heavily influenced by Tamil cuisine due to the Cholas.”
