Protestors, angry over the release of CIA contractor, clashed with riot police in Pakistan's eastern city of Lahore, witnesses said Wednesday.

Pakistani people protest against release of CIA contractor Raymond Davis in eastern Pakistan's Lahore on March 16, 2011. Davis, an American who killed two Pakistanis in Lahore on January 27th, was acquitted on March 16 by the Lahore district court following a reconciliation with the relatives of the two persons killed by him, local media quoted the law minister of Punjab province as saying. [Sajjad/Xinhua]

A court in Lahore acquitted Raymond Davis, who killed two Pakistanis in Lahore in January, after families of the slain men accepted blood money.

The acquittal came few hours after the court formally charged the American man for killing two Pakistanis.

Reports said that Raymond Davis was airlifted out of Pakistan in a special American air force plane shortly after the court acquitted him.

Opposition political groups staged rallies in main cities and condemned the release of the CIA agent.

Police used batons to disperse dozens of angry people in Lahore, injuring several demonstrators, including women. The police arrested several protestors. Demonstrators also pelted stones at the police.

Demonstrations were also held in Karachi, Islamabad, Rawalpindi and several other cities and the demonstrators condemned the release of CIA contractor. The demonstrators claimed that the government had forced family members of the slain men to sign the compensation deal.