NEWPORT BEACH – A Cal State Fullerton engineering student from India was identified Wednesday as the man found dead near the Newport Pier the day before. He had been missing for seven days.

Praveen Galla left his off-campus apartment in Fullerton, taking an Uber, on Feb. 2. He arrived at the university just after 5 p.m. but had not been seen for more than a week. Orange County Sheriff’s Department harbor patrol officials retrieved his body at 11:25 a.m. Tuesday.

Capt. Scot Willey of the Cal State Fullerton Police Department said officers worked with the coroner late Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning to identify the body with fingerprints because it was decomposing.

An autopsy was completed early Wednesday afternoon but Galla’s cause of death has not been determined and is pending test results.

Once a cause of death is established, authorities can try to determine when Galla died and how long his body was in the ocean. Willey said he was found in the same clothes he was last seen in.

Willey said Galla, a 23-year-old graduate student, was not reported to be suicidal and did not have any mental disabilities.

Willey said he could have been worried about his grades: “His worry was that he might be on academic probation, and he would have been worried about his student visa.”

Galla’s cellphone was tracked on Saturday to Newport Beach; it was not known if officials found it with his body.

Willey said they are investigating to determine how Galla got to Newport Beach and died.

Galla’s uncle from New Jersey and cousin from San Francisco had arrived to Orange County to help with the search with the student’s roommates and friends.

“We have a lot of people on campus that are shook up, people who knew him or taught him,” Willey said.

Cal State Fullerton president Mildred Garcia sent an email to the campus community expressing her condolences.

“While we are a large campus, we become incredibly small when confronted with such devastating news,” Garcia said in a statement.

“Praveen was a bright young mind and valued member of our campus.”

Campus officials reminded students, faculty and staff that professional counselors are available on campus and after hours.

Contact the writer: 714-796-7802 or aduranty@ocregister.com