About 12 persons, mostly daily wage labourers, purchased sattu from a road-side shop and fell ill after eating it, District Magistrate Balamurugan told PTI.
While six died, the ailing five were undergoing treatment at the Sadar hospital hospital, he said.
A probe has been ordered into the incident.
SP Harpreet Kaur said a sample of the sattu had been taken for examination from the shop. Its owner Kapil was absconding.