Raghunath Tyagi, who lived with his family in Morta village of Muradnagar, was sleeping near his house at a small makeshift room meant for cattle last night, police said.
"The murder came to light this morning when Tyagi's family members reached cattle house. His son Pankaj Tyagi, who is a school teacher, found him lying in a pool of blood," a police officer said.
Police suspect that the murder has been committed over personal enmity.
Seeing Tyagi's facial injuries, accused may have hammered him to death while he was asleep, he said.
"We have examined crime scene and a forensic team has also picked up some samples from the spot," he said.