Colombo, July 19 -- More than 1,000 phone calls have been received from individuals expressing interest in adopting the two-day-old baby girl who was found abandoned under a tree in a paddy field in Paragahadeniya, Mawathagama, police said.

According to police, many of the calls came from Sri Lankans living abroad in countries such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and Italy.

Authorities said that everyone who inquired about adopting the infant was informed of the legal procedures involved in the adoption process.

The identity of the child's mother remains unknown, and investigations are continuing to locate her.

Police noted that when the baby was first discovered, nearby women were reluctant to approach and pick ...