New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested the 8th accused in the Pak-backed terrorism case involving the delivery of weapons through drones to militants active in Kashmir, the agency said on Tuesday.

A team from the NIA Jammu branch nabbed the 22-year-old terror operative, identified as Zakir Hussain, a resident of Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district, on Monday.

Earlier, the anti-terror agency had arrested seven accused in the case it registered on July 3 last year after taking over the case from Kathua Police. One of the seven accused arrested earlier had died due to cardiac arrest while in judicial custody while two Pakistan-based terror operatives are absconding.

The seven arrested accused and the two absconders were earlier chargesheeted by NIA on January 12 this year under various sections of Indian Penal Code, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Arms Act.

According to NIA investigations, the accused were working on the directions of their Pakistani handler, identified as Sajjad Gul. The accused were involved in collecting, receiving and transporting the weapons dropped through drones to militants active in the Kashmir valley. The weapons were used to commit terrorist attacks in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

The local police had initially registered the case following the interception of a drone (Hexacopter) and seizure of several of rounds of 40mm Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL) and magnetic bombs near Dhalli area in Kathua.

"NIA is continuing with its investigations in the matter to unravel the bigger conspiracy of Pakistan-backed terrorist groups to carry out acts of terror and violence in the Kashmir valley and across India," added the agency.